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Norman Silvester A woman who sued her dead brother’s partner over his death said she was forced into the move after being let down by the criminal justice system.
Nina Kennedy’s sibling Vincent Kennedy died when Veronica MacKenzie crashed their car in an accident which also killed an elderly woman. Nina launched a civil action against MacKenzie when she was cleared of careless driving at a sheriff court trial. In September this year, a judge ruled MacKenzie was to blame for his death and later awarded Vincent’s family a five-figure sum. Nina has also revealed the row has caused Vincent’s mum to become estranged from his three children, who were also injured. MacKenzie spent five weeks in hospital after the couple’s Vauxhall Astra smashed into a Honda on the A85, near Oban, four years ago. Widow Mary Gillies, 74, from Fort William, travelling in the other vehicle, was also killed. Nina, of Springburn, Glasgow, said she always suspected MacKenzie, 36, was responsible for Vincent’s death and felt prosecutors mishandled the criminal trial. She added: “The family should never have had to take this to a court. “We were denied justice at the original trial. Vincent was too precious for us to sit back and accept this. “This was not an accident, it was a crash. It was Veronica’s doing. We didn’t want her to go to jail because of the children. “But she should have had a driving ban and a fine or at least penalty points. “I wasn’t happy with the prosecution of the case. I felt the prosecutor was illprepared and they didn’t try to get justice for Vincent. The criminal justice system failed us. I was Vincent’s next of kin so I took it on myself to get him justice.
“The damage it has caused the family will never be repaired. Mum has been told she can’t see Vincent’s kids.
“This has also affected the whole community in Oban, where Vincent and Veronica lived. Everyone is still devastated.”
A witness revealed MacKenzie had been arguing with Vincent, 32, prior to the crash.
The couple’s children, then aged 14, five and two, were treated for minor injuries but front-seat passenger Vincent died.
MacKenzie was charged with causing