Mum 'happy' with Norris punishment and apology

THE mother of two boys killed in a car crash by a drink-drive footballer said tonight she is “happy” that David Norris has apologised after he made a post-goal gesture in support of the jailed player.

Norris made what looked like a handcuffs gesture after scoring the Blue's only goal against Blackpool at the weekend, as a message to his friend Luke McCormick who was jailed for causing the deaths of two young brothers Arron and Ben Peak.

Tonight Ipswich Town said they had fined the midfielder and warned him about his future conduct. Norris has also written a “personal and private letter of regret” to the family, while the club will make a donation to charity equal to his fine.

Speaking moments after hearing the news, grieving mum Amanda Peak said: “I am happy with that.

“That is all that we wanted, for him to show that he knew that he should not have done it and it would have been interpreted in the way that everybody else interpreted it.

“I am glad that he is apologising to us personally and that is all that I asked for and he has been fined and it is going to a charity that deserves it.

“People like David and Luke McCormick and everyone else in the public eye have got a responsibility and they need to think about their actions because children look up to them and copy them.”

Earlier today Mrs Peak said that the gesture was sick and called for Norris to be banned from the club. She also asked Norris to apologise to her family face-to-face.

She told Sky News: “He's upset everybody. I'm finding it hard to deal with a lot of things at the moment and I'm finding it difficult not to hate Luke McCormick.

“When people are doing silly gestures like that it makes it harder not to.”

She added: “I'd rather he apologised to us face-to-face. Ban him for a game, fine him, anything - but show that they're not in support of drink drivers.

“It's people like that who should think twice about what they are going to do, especially when they are in the public eye.

“I understand that he wants to support Luke, but it was hurtful.”

Norris has apologised for causing offence and denied that it was a handcuffs sign but admitted that it was a private message to Plymouth Argyle player McCormick, who is serving seven years and four months after he admitted causing death by dangerous driving and drink-driving.

His actions come just a week after it was reported that Norris was standing by his friend but said he did not want to do anything that would cause the victims' family any upset.

The boys' father, Phil, who was driving, survived the collision but still wears a neck brace and may have to have surgery to ease his constant pain.

After Saturday's incident, Norris said: “It wasn't a handcuffs sign it was a private message but I can see how people might have seen it like that and I apologise if it's caused any offence.

“Luke is a friend of mine. He made a massive mistake and is paying for that.”

Last week we reported that Norris intended to stay friends with his former teammate.

He said: “Luke is a very good friend of mine and will remain a good friend of mine. I have stayed in touch with him and I will go and visit him in prison. He made a massive mistake and he is paying for that - quite rightly.

“It is still very raw for everyone, especially the family, and I don't want to do anything that causes them upset but Luke is a friend.”