THE family of beloved grandmother Linda Brooks, killed by an epileptic driver, are demanding changes to the law.

Meanwhile, MP John Baron has called for harsher sentences to deter medically unfit drivers from getting behind the wheel.

Mrs Brooks, 68, died after Philip Chapman, 56, had a fit while driving and caused the head-on crash, which also left her two-year-old grandson Alfie seriously injured.

Chapman, who has a history of epilepsy, didn’t want to lose his licence so he didn’t tell the DVLA he had suffered at least three serious fits. He claimed his condition was “under control”.

Mrs Brooks’s son, Stephen Brooks, 43, who lives in Hockey, said: “The system shouldn’t be self-governed.

“Naturally, we would like to see changes brought in to make it easier for people who lie about their condition to be detected.

“The police inspector said Mr Chapman was playing Russian roulette with people’s lives and that’s exactly the way we feel. It was our mum who ended up paying for this.”

Chapman, of The Drive, Rayleigh, was sentenced to six years in prison at Basildon Crown Court for causing death by dangerous driving. He was also banned from driving for life.

The self-employed electrician knew he was capable of blacking out at any time when he got behind the wheel of his van and caused the tragedy in Sutton Road, Southend, on September 15 last year.

He ploughed into the back of a Vauxhall Vectra and pushed it head-on into the path of Mrs Brooks’s Fiat Punto, which was sent spinning off the road and into a ditch.

As well as her grandson Alfie, the Vectra motorists Carol and Michel Guiness were badly injured.

Basildon and Billericay MP John Baron thinks tougher sentences are the way to stop irresponsible drivers getting in their cars. He said “The case of Mrs Brooks is harrowing.

“On one hand you could get the DVLA to demand a medical certificate from everyone who wants a licence, but this would put a real burden on the system – and how would it be monitored?

“My instinct is to bring in much longer sentences for people who get behind the wheel knowing they are medically unfit.”

Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris said she had already written to the DVLA to get some clarification on just how big an issue it is.

She said: “We need to get some figures and a real snapshot.

“Sadly, I think the problem is some people who would never dream of getting behind the wheel drunk don’t realise they are as much of a risk to others if they have epilepsy or eyesight impairments.”

l IN Friday’s Echo we printed a photograph of Linda Brooks with the wrong caption. We would like to sincerely apologise to Mrs Brooks’s family for this genuine mistake. We are extremely sorry for the distress this caused.