LORD ADVOCATE: NO CRIMINAL ACTION AGAINST SNOWMAN AND JIM CLARK
Events won’t be prosecuted as Fatal Accident Inquiry is initiated
No further action will be taken by the Scottish Government against the organisers of the Jim Clark and Snowman rallies after both events suffered fatal accidents involving spectators in 2013 and 2014.
Joy Robson was killed while spectating on the Snowman Rally in February 2013, while John Leonard Stern, Elizabeth Allan and Iain John Provan were killed on the Jim Clark Rally – which hasn’t run as a closed road event since – in May 2014.
After an investigation of nearly two years, the Lord Advocate – chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters – has instructed that a Fatal Accident Inquiry be set up to investigate further. But unless any new evidence comes to light, the organising teams of the two events won’t be prosecuted.
A statement from the Crown Office read: “Following investigations into two separate fatal accidents at motor sport events, the Crown Office will use new legislation to hold, for the first time, a joint Fatal Accident Inquiry.
“Crown Counsel has instructed a Fatal Accident Inquiry to examine the full circumstances surrounding the deaths and help to avoid such incidents happening in the future.
“The Crown is liaising with the Sheriff Principal to identify an appropriate location and dates for the Fatal Accident Inquiry to take place.
“There will be no criminal proceedings in relation to either event, though this may be reconsidered should additional evidence come to light.”
The events of the Jim Clark forced the creation of the Motorsport Event Safety Review, which has issued recommendations for improving events that have been implemented in the UK beginning in 2016.
The Motor Sports Association – the sport’s governing body in the UK – also issued a statement.
“The Motor Sports Association (MSA) welcomes today’s announcement by the Crown Office of a joint Fatal Accident Inquiry into the tragic events of the Snowman Rally 2013 and Jim Clark Rally 2014.
“The MSA will cooperate fully with the FAI, as it has throughout the Police investigations and the Scottish Government’s Motorsport Event Safety Review (MESR).
“Today’s news will give the families of the deceased and the injured an opportunity to find answers to any questions they may still have.
“The MSA will be making no further statement at this time.”
For the full statement from the crown office, visit: copfs.gov.uk/media-site/ media-releases/1452-announcement-onthe-snowman-and-jim-clark-rallysfatal-accident-inquiry.