A MOTHER whose teenage daughter was killed by a drink-driver may see her call for a change in the law come to fruition.

Jan Woodward’s daughter, Kelly, was killed by drink-driver Andrew Burrell in 2006 and a year later she launched a petition calling for driving bans, imposed for such crimes, to begin only when offenders have left prison.

Currently, offenders serve their driving ban while behind bars, leaving them free in some cases to get behind the wheel on their release.

Mrs Woodward, of Billingham, Teesside, is a step closer her goal after the matter was included in the Coroners and Justice Bill, which will be discussed by MPs in the House of Commons on Monday.

If the Bill is passed, it will mean driving bans will not start until halfway into an offender’s prison term, a point which will often coincide with their early release date.

When 19-year-old Kelly died in the collision, yards from her home in Billingham, in July 2006, her family’s lives were torn apart.

The teenager, who had just finished a hair and beauty course at Hartlepool College of Further Education, had accepted a lift home from a party by drunken Burrell. The decision was to cost her life.

She was in the rear seat of the car for only a couple of minutes before the green Vauxhall Corsa left Marsh House Avenue and hit a tree.

Kelly’s side of the car took the brunt of the impact and she died at the scene.

Burrell, of Dorset Street, Hartlepool, who had been driving for only two months, was twice over the legal drinkdrive limit.

At his trial, he admitted causing death by dangerous driving and drink-driving.

His original 30-month prison sentence was increased to four-and-a-half years and his driving ban extended to five years after three appeal judges found the sentence “unduly lenient”.

Mrs Woodward said: “I don’t really know what is happening at the moment. I have had a call to say they will be announcing a change in the law on Monday.

“I have been told that Jack Straw (Secretary of State for Justice) is hoping to change the law, in part as a result of the Kelly Campaign.

“I don’t know how I feel until I have heard more about it. Even if it goes through it will be a bitter-sweet result for me. At the end of the day, I have still lost Kelly.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “The provision in the Coroners and Justice Bill extends the driving bans imposed on offenders who are at the same time given prison sentences to take account of time served in custody and make them face the full consequences of the punishment for their crime.

“This proposed change comes as a direct consequence of an MP raising the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions and shows that MPs interventions in the House of Commons can have a direct impact and bring about changes to the law.”