A GRIEVING dad has criticised the sentence handed to the driver who killed his son.

Laurence Gunn, 32, was hit and killed by a car while walking his dog Misty across a pedestrian crossing in March 2012.

Mohammed Rashid, 23, of Weedington Road, London, admitted he had not worn his glasses for more than a year, despite not being able to see a number plate more than 7ft away.

He admitted causing death by careless driving at Blackfriars Crown Court.

He was sentenced to 140 hours unpaid work, a £500 fine, eight points on his licence and a one-year driving ban.

The victim’s dad, Mr Gunn, 58, of Thresher Rise, Great Notley, said: “I don’t think the right sentence has been given.

“If it had been death by dangerous driving, he could have had a custodial sentence and I believe it should have been custodial – he took my son’s life.

“Even if he had been thrown in prison, it doesn’t bring my son back, nothing will.”

Laurence’s mum Vanessa is campaigning for the law to be changed over testing drivers’ eyesight more regularly.

Laurence, 32, had grown up in Braintree and attended Notley Primary School and Notley High School before going on to become a journalist. He was living in Maida Vale, London, at the time of his death.

Mr Gunn described his son as a talented young man who had a huge heart.