Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Families label sentence ‘just a slap on the wrist’
Alexander McCabe was given a 12-month community payback order at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
He has been ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, be supervised for the year and was also disqualified from driving for two-and-a-half years.
McCabe, 30, of Quarryside i n Dryburgh, previously pleaded guilty to causing the death of mother-of-one Jenna Tindall, 29, and Marc Edwards, 26, by driving without due care and attention.
Jenna and Marc were in one car, with McCabe and his partner Nicola Brown in another, travelling home from Newcastle Airport in July last year when the tragedy happened.
McCabe smashed into the back of the couple’s car, causing it to cross into the opposing carriageway and hit another vehicle coming the other way.
Speaking to the Tele, Jenna’s mum, Lois Tindall, 55, from Stobswell, said she was “angered” by the court’s decision.
“We feel it has been a slap on the wrist for taking two people’s lives and leaving Jenna’s daughter without her mother. I was angered by the sentence,” she said.
“How can we tell Abbie that her mum’s life was worth only 180 hours of community service?
“We’ve heard his lawyer say he is full of remorse, but he has never once apologised to us personally in the aftermath.
“I accept it was an accident, but we can’t forgive him for what he has done. Had he admitted what had happened from the get go, then we could accept it more.
“Not only have we not received any closure to the matter, we’ve been robbed of our beautiful daughter.
THE families of a Dundee couple killed in a car crash said today the sentence handed out to man who admitted causing their deaths was just a “slap on the wrist”.
“Abbie is the one who suffers most and will have to grow up without her mother in her life.”
Marc’s mum, Gillian Edwards, 58, from Lochee, said that although she was disappointed by the sentence, it had brought closure.
“When I heard the sentence, I was disappointed — there are folk who have done less and received a harder punishment,” she said.
“I accept what took place that day was an accident he will have to live with for the rest of his life.
“He has never apologised for the events of that day and it’s taken him a long time to admit to what happened.
“I know that if the boot had been on the other foot, I would have sent Marc to their door to apologise for his actions. I will forgive him, so I can get on with my own life. I’m relieved that the sentencing has now given closure to the matter.”