A woman, who suffered the loss of her entire family in a tragic incident caused by a drug-impaired driver speeding at close to 100mph, expresses disappointment in the legal system following his early release from prison.
Aurelijus Cielevicius, aged 43, was freed after serving only three years of his 10.5-year sentence for the deaths of Paul Carter, 41, Lisa Carter, 49, and Jade Mace, 25. He was repatriated to Lithuania under a contentious early release initiative.
While already on police bail and under curfew, Cielevicius drove on the wrong side of the A47 in Norfolk in his BMW X5 under the influence of crystal meth, cannabis, and M-Cat. Colliding with the family’s Vauxhall Mokka at 96mph, he escaped with minor injuries.
Summer Mace, 26, who lost her mother, sister, and stepfather in the accident, expressed her dismay, stating, “He served a mere three years and one month for taking three lives. It’s devastating to see my family failed once more. It’s disheartening that the value placed on my family’s lives seems so minimal.”
The tragic incident occurred on January 15, 2023, when Summer’s family was driving home to Gedney, near Holbeach, and the collision transpired at North Runcton, close to King’s Lynn, Norfolk.
Cielevicius, previously of King’s Lynn, was overtaking a vehicle at 96mph when the crash happened. Sentenced at Norwich Crown Court for three counts of causing death by dangerous driving, he was also given an additional four-year extended license and an eight-year driving ban.
Summer reminisced, “Jade, mom, and Paul were my pillars of support. Living together with our pets, Jade was more than a sister, she was my closest companion. It’s surreal to be without them now. They meant everything to me.”
The Early Removal Scheme (ERS) facilitates the early deportation of foreign nationals from prison. Upon deportation, offenders are not subject to further imprisonment but are permanently banned from reentry and may serve the remainder of their sentence if they return. The government revised the scheme last year, allowing for deportation after serving 30% of the sentence, instead of the previous 50%.
Summer revealed that she became aware of Cielevicius’ potential eligibility for the scheme in October. Her MP, James Wild, addressed the issue to Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions on February 11. A response from Lord Timpson, the prisons minister, received by Mr. Wild on February 20, confirmed Cielevicius’ eligibility under the ERS.
On February 23, the family was informed that the triple killer had been deported earlier that day. Summer expressed frustration, stating, “Once again, as victims, we were the last to know. The minister must have been aware on Friday that the deportation was imminent.”
