Teenage driver guilty of causing death of Portuguese father of four

A teenage motorist was warned she could face prison after being convicted yesterday of killing a Portuguese father of four by driving dangerously.

Shari Dunbar, 19, struck Nuno Barbara, 45, as he crossed Castle Street in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, on 3 September 2015.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that moments before the collision, Dunbar, who had passed her test a few months earlier, was driving around the town at excessive speeds for the road conditions.

She failed to observe give way 0 Teenager was convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh markings at the junction of the town’s Bath Street and Castle Street and did not slow down to negotiate the junction or keep control of her Seat Ibiza.

Dunbar struck Mr Barbara who came to Scotland from his native Portugal to take a job at a fish factory in Fraserburgh.

He died from head and chest injuries four days later at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

The court heard that Dunbar admitted hitting Mr Barbara, but claimed that her former boyfriend, Alister Wisely, was driving aggressively behind her, forcing her to break traffic laws. The claim was investigated but dismissed.

Kiera Sutherland, 17, a passenger in Dunbar’s car, said her friend was usually a “careful driver” but on that day was “showing off ” to Mr Wisely.

Following the verdict, judge Lord Kinclaven said she could be given a custodial sentence.