Harlow’s family’s courage praised
Road safety campaigners welcome Pirie’s sentence
Local politicians and campaigners have praised a Coupar Angus family for their bravery and dignity following the death of their two-year-old daughter last year.
Luke Pirie (24), from Montrose, was sentenced to six years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow last week after pleading guilty to causing the death of Harlow Edwards.
The court heard that Pirie lost control of his car while attempting to overtake a line of vehicles at excessive speed on the A94 between Scone and Flatfield, Coupar Angus.
He collided with another car and mounted the pavement, striking three children.
David Green, head of the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit, said: “This is a tragic case involving the needless death of a two-year-old girl and the serious injury of two other children.
“Luke Pirie’s dangerous driving and excessive speed has irrevocably damaged many lives. Our thoughts go out to the family of Harlow Edwards.
“Hopefully, this will serve as a reminder of the very serious consequences of dangerous driving and the deep harm that it can cause.”
Coupar Angus and Bendochy Community Council has campaigned for a number of years for improvements to road safety in the town,
Chair of the community council, Wendy McCombes, told the Blairie: “I am relieved that the trial is over as it has been a huge ordeal for the Edwards family who have been amazingly courageous and gracious throughout.
“I hope the sentence will send a clear message to drivers that dangerous driving is a most serious offence and will lead to imprisonment and loss of licence for a lengthy period.
“People in the town are hopeful that the new road safety features being completed on the Forfar Road will remind all drivers they must drive safely through our town and every other town, so that there will be no other tragedies in the future.”
And local campaigner Michael Gallagher added: “Justice has been done. But it won’t bring Harlow back.
“Perth and Kinross Council has taken a very lax attitude to road safety over the years. Local people have been warning the council about speeding on Forfar Road ever since the new housing was built at Larghan View in 2008.”
Councillor for the Strathmore ward, Fiona Sarwar, who lives in the town, said this week: “I hope that, after what must have been the most unbelievably hard year, there is relief for the Edwards family that the legal process has come to a close and the person responsible for taking the life of Harlow, as well as seriously injuring two children, has been given a custodial sentence.
“However, I feel it is important to recognise this in no way can alleviate the pain and suffering which has been caused.
“I would also like to take the opportunity to pay tribute to the dignified and gracious Edwards family, whom, under the most tragic of circumstances have given back to their community through their road safety campaigning and the ongoing work of Harlow’s Helping Hand - a charity set up to honour their beautiful little girl, which is already helping many families facing their own bereavement.
“The fact that something so positive has come out of this tragedy is testimony to the kind of people Sara and Steve are, and I hope as many people as possible can support them in their charitable work.”
In a statement, the Edwards family said that they were relieved that justice had been done for the three children affected, but added that although they were glad that a custodial sentence has been imposed, it “in no way matches the life sentence that we are now living, as we forever grieve the life denied to our precious Harlow”.
Harlow’s mum, Sara, went on: “Finding out that we lost our little angel under such petty and entirely avoidable circumstances has only added to our devastation and we can only hope now that our baby girl’s beautiful face will serve as a reminder of the responsibility that comes with getting behind the wheel of a car and also the dangers of speeding and distractions, to drivers, passengers and also the person on the other end of the phone who continues to communicate with someone they know is driving.
“As a family, we would now like to concentrate on honouring the absolute love and never-ending joy our darling baby girl brought into our lives through the charity created in her name, Harlow’s Helping Hand.”