NO SENTENCE CAN EVER BRING MY SON BACK
Mum speaks out after the man who caused death of her beloved Aaron in horror crash is handed prison term
The heartbroken mum of a Hamilton teen who was killed in a horror car smash this week said no sentence will ever replace her son.
Jackie Lee, of Whitehill, has been left devastated since the death of her only son on April 1, 2016.
Aaron Lee (19) was a passenger in a black Seat Ibiza car which collided with a Nissan Micra on the Carlisle Road, approximately one mile north of Blackwood.
It was driven by Hamilton man Mark Monteith, who was this week sentenced to 36 months in prison after admitting a charge of driving without due care and attention.
Talking exclusively to the Advertiser on the day Monteith was jailed, Jackie said: “No sentence will ever replace Aaron or bring him back. Our hearts will be forever broken and our lives will be forever left with a gap that will never be filled.
“On behalf of myself, Aaron’s dad Brian and twin sister Courtney, we would like to extend our gratitude to Police Scotland for the time put into the investigation and support given to the family. They went above and beyond for us.
“A special thanks also to Aaron’s close friends, who have been a great support to our family. There are too many to name but they know who they are.”
There were angry scenes outside Hamilton Sheriff Court this week as speeding motorist Mark Monteith was sentenced to 36 months in jail.
The Hamilton man caused the death of an acquaintance and severely injured the occupants of another vehicle when the car he was driving spun out of control on a Lanarkshire road.
Monteith, of Miller Gardens, had earlier admitted a charge of driving without due care and attention on the B7078 Carlisle Road, Blackwood, on April 1, 2016 – along with a charge of driving without a licence and insurance. The 27-yearold was on bail on another matter at the time.
Aaron Lee had been a frontseat passenger in the black Seat Monteith was driving. He was 19 at the time of his death and lived with his twin sister and his mother.
On Tuesday, Sheriff Thomas Miller sentenced Monteith to 36 months in prison. He was also disqualified from driving for 10 years.
Following on from a criminal justice social work report and restriction of liberty order assessment, Sheriff Miller said: “I am taking into account the injury caused to others and that you were yourself injured. “In terms of the report a custodial sentence is appropriate.” The sentence, however, was met with outrage by Aaron’s friends and family – including his mum Jackie, dad Brian and twin sister Courtney. In a statement released after the sentencing, Jackie said: “No sentence will ever replace Aaron or bring him back. Our hearts will forever be broken and our lives will forever be left with a gap that will never be filled.” Aaron’s best pal Connie Sloan was disgusted with the sentence imposed and said: “There is no justice in that sentence whatsoever. “Thirty six months in prison, it is an absolute joke. “It’s been a complete and utter nightmare for all of Aaron’s friends and family, and we are heartbroken.” Monteith was aged 25 at the time of the offence, was single, and stayed with his parents at an address in Hamilton’s Miller Gardens.
Shortly after 6pm on the day of the crash, Monteith had been driving a black Seat Ibiza northbound on the B7078 Carlisle Road in Blackwood and the other motorist, with a child in the front passenger seat, had been driving southbound.
Hamilton Sheriff Court previously heard that Monteith’s car hit the other, causing extensive damage to both vehicles. He had been driving at excessive speed and as he attempted to negotiate a bend lost control and “spun violently across the carriageway”.
The other vehicle came to rest on a verge. The Seat spun on to the opposite verge and hit a tree.
Motorists came across the collision’s aftermath and noticed smoke coming from the other vehicle.
They took the man and the child out of the car. One witness also noticed Aaron had difficulty breathing before he passed away.
Paramedics who attended the scene found Aaron to be unresponsive and he was declared dead at 6.35pm.
Monteith was taken out of the Seat. He had suffered chest injuries and was in an agitated condition. He was taken to Wishaw General Hospital. His injuries were not life-threatening.
The motorist in the other vehicle was assessed as having a possible arm fracture as well as chest and abdominal pain. He was absent from work for two months as a result of his injuries and, the court heard, suffered from anxiety, disrupted sleep and flashbacks.
The child’s injuries included a fractured left arm bone. She also suffered a liver injury with potential danger to life. This will have to be kept under “ongoing review, ” the court had heard.
... a custodial sentence is appropriate Sheriff Miller