THE family of Colchester student Cassie McCord have vowed to continue their fight for a new law.

Cassie, 16, of Drury Road, Colchester, was killed when Colin Horsfall’s car swerved onto the pavement and hit her.

Mr Horsfall, who died of his injuries three months later, was in the process of having his licence revoked, having being involved in an accident days before the tragedy in February last year.

More than 10,000 people have signed a petition to support Cassie’s Law.

Cassie’s family started the campaign to give police the powers to revoke a motorist’s licence immediately if they believe they are unfit to drive.

Cassie’s mother, Jackie McCord, said she is even more determined after hearing of two other children who had been killed in similar accidents.

She said: “I am emotionally exhausted, but I will fight on as long as I have to.

“I have been contacted by two mothers who have lost children in similar circumstances. Cassie’s death must be the last one.

“One death is bad enough, but to hear of others is terrible.

“If there had been a change in the law, it would have saved these lives.”

Jackie has the support of Essex Police and Colchester MP Bob Russell, who has already raised the issue in the House of Commons. He vowed to continue to lobby the Government.

He said: “Cassie’s Law makes perfect sense. The police can take a vehicle off the road when it is deemed unfit, but they can’t take the driver off the road if they are medically unfit.

“If the police had the powers to take Mr Horsfall’s licence on the Friday, I don’t believe this man would have driven on the Monday.”

Cassie was on her way to Colchester Sixth Form Centre when she was hit by Mr Horsfall’s car on to the pavement in Head Street.

She was taken to Colchester General Hospital and then Queen’s Hospital, in Romford, but attempts to save her failed.

Mr Horsfall, 87, died three months later at Elmcroft Care Home, in Tolleshunt Major.

While he was still at Colchester General Hospital, he was interviewed by police and told of Cassie’s death.

Three days before the incident, Mr Horsfall, from Rowhedge, had driven the wrong way into the Tesco High Woods petrol station and ended up in trees.

Police officer PC Daniel Bellingham suggested Mr Horsfall should surrender his licence, but he refused.

Her family has been campaigning for Cassie’s Law and a petition, supported by the Gazette’s sister paper the Essex County Standard, has been drawn up, calling on the Government to give police powers to temporarily seize a driver’s licence if they consider them unfit.

It would then be down to the DVLA to determine whether the licence should be returned or revoked.

  • To support Cassie’s Law visit essexcountystandard.co.uk and click on the link to Cassie’s Law or e-mail your name and address to ecs.letters@nqe.com.