The devastated family of a mother killed by a rogue roofer fleeing police in a high-speed van have been dealt a cruel new blow after being told they will receive no compensation because her death was deemed not 'violent enough'.
A Day of Tragedy on the Golf Course
Suzanne Cherry, 62, was playing golf with her husband Clint Harrison at Aston Wood Golf Club in April last year when their lives were shattered. John McDonald, 52, was attempting to escape police in a 70mph, 12-minute chase through residential streets when he drove onto the course.
Suzanne was struck by the van, suffering catastrophic injuries. Her ribs were fractured in multiple places, her carotid arteries torn, and her liver and spleen lacerated. After an emergency blood transfusion and being airlifted to hospital, doctors were forced to amputate one of her legs. A CT scan revealed irreparable brain damage, and she died in her hospital bed four days later – the day before her 63rd birthday.
'Disgusting' Compensation Rejection
Her widower Clint Harrison, 63, from Aldridge, West Midlands, has now revealed the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) rejected the family's claim for compensation. He described the decision as 'disgusting and outrageous'.
Mr Harrison, who witnessed the horror from just 10-15 yards away, shared the rejection letter with the Daily Mail. It stated: 'The information available to me, regrettably, does not support a crime of violence, as defined by the Scheme.'
'Basically they have turned down our application for compensation saying Sue's death was not violent enough,' said Mr Harrison, a retired rivet technician. 'How much more violent could her death have been? It is shocking.' The family, including Suzanne's two brothers, had applied for £5,000 each to help with funeral costs.
Justice Denied and a Family's Grief
John McDonald was later jailed for 13 years and six months after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, plus a concurrent sentence for conspiracy to commit fraud. His son, Jonny McDonald, 23, was jailed for 32 months. The family believes the sentences were not severe enough.
In a final act of callousness, as the trio fled the crash site, McDonald senior stepped over Suzanne's body. Mr Harrison recalled shouting: 'You b*****ds have killed my wife.'
He remembers the moment vividly: 'Suzanne's fragile body shattered in front of my eyes. Her scream just before the impact haunts me every moment of every day.' He described his wife of 18 years, a mother-of-three and stepmother to two, as 'the light of my life'.
The family is now considering a review of the CICA decision and pursuing a civil claim. Suzanne's brother, Adrian Cherry, 60, said the killer 'deserves to be in prison for the rest of his life', while their 89-year-old mother has been 'absolutely broken' by the loss.
