Facing jail, new driver who killed girl, 15, after he jumped red light
A YOUNG driver was yesterday facing jail after he killed a 15-year-old schoolgirl on a pedestrian crossing by careless driving.
Kieran Kennedy had been on trial at the High Court in Glasgow accused of causing her death by dangerous driving – but was cleared.
He was instead convicted by a jury of the lesser charge of causing death by careless driving.
The 20-year-old, who was driving his Volkswagen Scirocco in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, struck Megan Scott one second after the traffic lights changed from amber to red.
His car smashed into Megan, who was on her phone and wearing headphones, as she used the pedestrian crossing at 5.46pm on
October 18, 2017. The jury was shown video footage which showed Kennedy only braking after the traffic lights had turned to red.
But they also heard Megan had started crossing seconds before the pedestrians’ green light came on.
The force of the impact threw her onto the bonnet of Kennedy’s car and into the air. She landed close to a stationary bus.
In evidence, Kennedy, from Chapelton, Lanarkshire, admitted he was to blame for the crash. The jury heard that he had offered at an early stage to plead guilty to causing death by careless driving.
Kennedy, who had only passed his driving test weeks, told the jury that the first thing he noticed was Megan’s mobile phone at the bottom left hand corner of his windscreen.
He said he braked and the next thing he remembered was hitting the schoolgirl and seeing her lying on the road fatally injured
Former rail track worker Kennedy, who has been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and depression, told the jury: ‘I’ve thought about that day every day.’
The court was told that Kennedy has not driven since May 2018.
Defence QC John Scullion said: ‘Do you accept the light was red when you drove through it and do you accept you caused the death of Megan Scott?’ Kennedy said: ‘Yes.’
He added: ‘I just want to say sorry to her family.’
Judge Lord Armstrong deferred sentence on first offender Kennedy until January, allowed him bail and banned him from driving.