THE MOTHER of two young boys killed by a drink-drive footballer has spoken of her disgust at a goal celebration when a former Bolton Wanderers player apparently gestured at his jailed friend.
Amanda Peak, from Partington, said midfielder David Norris should be punished by his current club, Ipswich Town, after he appeared to make a handcuffs sign when he scored on Saturday. Her sons Arron, 10, and Ben, 8, were killed when Norris's friend, former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Luke McCormick, ploughed into a car they were travelling in on the M6 in Staffordshire.
McCormick, who was subsequently sacked by his club and jailed for over seven years, had spent the previous night partying at Norris's wedding. He was two times the drink-drive limit.
Norris made the sign after scoring the only goal of Ipswich's game at Blackpool on Saturday in front of a crowd of more than 7,000. He has since admitted it was a 'private' gesture intended for his former team mate.
Wrong message
Mrs Peak is reported to have said the show of solidarity was an 'insult' to her sons' memory. "I'm disgusted. To celebrate a goal like that is disrespectful to me and my husband and my boys. He should be given a ban by his club," she said.
"Norris is doing this in front of thousands of supporters, including children, and sending out the wrong message that we can drink and drive and it's OK to kill someone."
Norris denied making a 'handcuffs' gesture and apologised for causing offence. "It wasn't a handcuffs sign it was a private message but I can see how people might have seen it like that and I apologise if it's caused any offence. Luke is a friend of mine. He made a massive mistake and is paying for that."
Mrs Peak's husband, Phil, was at the wheel of the Toyota Previa people carrier which was hit by McCormick's Range Rover in the early hours of June 7. He wears a neck brace and may have to undergo surgery to ease his constant pain.
After McCormick's sentence was handed out last month, the couple expressed disappointment that he will be eligible for parole in three-and-a-half years. Norris joined Bolton in 2000, before being transferred to Plymouth, where he played alongside McCormick, in 2002. mike.keegan@men-news.co.uk
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'Paying for it'? There's no punishment big enough.
Think you'll find that its Mr and Mrs Peake paying for his mistake!
Please everyone, don't make this a bigger thing than it is really.
The court case was over, he had gone to jail, who would have thought that was about this case, who told Mrs Peak?
Sorry, it is time to have closure on this event because I am sure if I said that I have other facts to this case, then I would be criticised as well
He was letting his friend in prison know that he's thinking about him. I don't see how that tells children it's OK to kill someone!
Umpire 2.
You Muppet, this ladies family have been destroyed, by a stupid drunken oaf, sha has the right to say what ever she pleases.
I understand Luke McCormick's friends and family are devastated for him, because he did make a mistake and now he and they have to live with the consequences, but there was no need to be so public about the support. That was crass and insensitive. It's too new for people, especially the Peak family, to think about what McCormick has lost through his own actions.
Insensitive yes - but unless the tabloid press mentioned it no-one would have noticed or been taling about it. I was at the match and no-one noticed.
the one thing I don't get is everyone saying he made a mistake,he was over the limit and speeding,he must have known he was still under the influence,and knew what his speed was,that to me is not a mistake,if he had not had a drink or was going at the right speed and had an accident thats a mistake,he should be serving a lot longer if he had gone out and shot someone he would have been done for murder,a speeding car or drinking and driving is the same as having a weapon.
It's just another typical incident these days where an obnoxious act of insensitivity is done by somebody without thought or feeling for victims.
Morally we reached base level in this country some year's ago and nothing really surprises when it comes to vile behaviour.
I am not one thing and that is a muppet mate.
We on here do not know the true facts of this case, accept that a footballer killed two kids and injured others.
He admitted his guilt and has been jailed.
Now to this story, should we now remove the 'X' from the alphabet, ask X Factor to take it out of the title so it does not upset someone.
It also says appears to make a handcuff sign, it appeared to me that it was an X, a cross of the arms.
Now to say he should be banned from playing football why?
We get players swearing and do a lot more worse on TV every week, why don';t we all get together and ban them also, whilst doing that, let us get rid of the laws in the country, the human rights act and we can all them go on the rampage.