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JACK & JILL ADAM DENSMORE & STACEY LEE-JENKINS Saturday, August 30, 2008 ~ 8 pm at Georgetown Optimist Hall for Tickets $10 at the door St. John's United Church 11 Guelph Street Georgetown START ANY TIME [905] 849-7555 ext. 223 HALTON CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD Your Link the Future ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING Mornings: Monday to Friday 9 am - 12 pm Beginners to Level 3 Afternoons: Monday to Friday 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm Level 4 to Level 7 Evening: Monday 6 pm - 9 pm Level 4 to Level 7 New Morning, Afternoon & Evening classes FREE Adult LINC/ESL Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citoyennett Immigration Canada 8 Independent & Free Press, Wednesday, August 27, 2008 It was only a matter of time. A Milton man with drinking and driving charges spanning nearly a decade was sentenced to seven-and- a-half years behind bars for the crash that claimed the lives of a husband and wife last year. It was a near precedent-setting sentence that the judge handed down to Ingram Rahim Bakhsh, 29, late Thursday afternoon, said the Crown attorney. It has lifted the bar for this type of offence, said Brian OMarra out- side the courtroom, just hours after telling Justice Richard LeDressay that Bakhsh fit the description of worst offender, worst offence. He had asked for a sentence of eight to 10 years. With Bakhsh already having served more than a year and get- ting various amounts of credit for i t he has f ive years and two months left to serve. Defence lawyer Bruce Daley who had asked for a jail term of four to six years said the sen- tence was fair. But Jennifer Miller, daughter of the victims, felt differently. I simply dont agree but Im not a judge or lawyer, Im just a regular person, she said. The horrific accident took place July 19, 2007, when Bakhshs car slammed into the back of a vehicle carrying Rockwood residents Andrew and Henrietta Miller, aged 66 and 65, sending it spinning into the path of an oncoming GO train crossing at Trafalgar Road. They were killed instantly. At the t ime of the tragedy, Bakhsh shouldnt have been drink- ing or driving in accordance with release conditions for prior drink- ing and driving charges still before the courts. In fact, Bakhsh had already been involved in three such incidents in Peel in 2006. He plead- ed guilty to two of them yesterday, with the third set of charges stayed. In addition, the court heard that Bakhsh had been charged and con- victed of two incidents of drunk driving in the U.S. in 2000 and 2001. Earl ier this year, he pleaded guil ty to two counts each of impaired driving causing death and failing to comply with conditions of a release; he had a blood alcohol level nearly four times the limit when the Millers were killed. In her emotional victim impact statement, Miller detailed how her familys life has been turned upside down. At t imes she turned to face Bakhsh in the prisoners box and spoke directly to him, expressing controlled rage. Never will I forget throwing away your Mercedes hub cap from the trunk of Moms car, then seeing my dads teeth and his watch that was left underneath, she said. Ironically, she told the court, her mother had volunteered weekly at Maplehurst the very faci l i ty where Bakhsh has been in custody since the crash. Also ironically, her parents were Alcoholics Anon- ymous sponsors who helped people not unlike Bakhsh with their drink- ing problems. Miller also read a statement from her son, seven-year-old Devin. Grandpa used to put my nanas roast beef on my plate like a happy face. Nana laughed real hard, Miller read. Bakhshs parents and young wife sat in the front row and showed no emotion while Miller spoke. Across the room sat about 16 members of the Miller family. When it was Bakhshs turn to speak, he unfolded a written letter of apology and addressed the vic- tims family. Andrew and Henrietta are gone, he said in a clear voice. They lost their lives because I drank when I wasnt supposed to and drove while under the influ- ence. He said if he could change places with them, he would. He admitted to having a drinking problem. Outside the courthouse, Miller said she didnt bel ieve a word Bakhsh said. Rockwood couples car rammed into path of train Drunk driver who killed couple gets 7 1/2 years MELANIE HENNESSEY Special to The IFP