Facing jail, drink driver who killed great-gran in horror head-on smash

A DRINK driver claimed he had no memory of a head-on smash that killed a pensioner.

Shaun Munro, 28, ploughed into Katrina Smith after crossing over to the wrong side of the road on the A96 near Dyke, Moray.

Mrs Smith, 76, died after being found in her upturned Peugeot as it lay in bushes following the smash.

The great-grandmother, who was a wellknown fundraiser for local Brownie and Girl Guides groups, had been on her way to a morning car boot sale when tragedy struck.

Munro, who was driving an Isuzu pick-up, was also badly hurt and was taken by air ambulance to hospital in Aberdeen, where he told police: ‘Honestly, I have no recollection of the accident.

‘The first memory I have is the helicopter, the boy looking after me, his face, being in the hospital (and) the pain.’ He was found to have ‘no less’ than 97mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 50mg.

But, due to the time between the crash and the sample being taken, Munro – who appeared in the dock on crutches – is ‘likely to have been impaired to a higher degree’ by drink than what was registered, a court was told.

He now faces a jail term after he yesterday pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to causing death by dangerous driving. He had his bail continued pending sentencing in May.

The court had been told Munro – who lives on Lewis – had stayed at a Premier Inn in Inverness the night before the accident in April, 2019.

Describing the crash, prosecutor Owen Mullan said: ‘Witnesses saw the Isuzu slowly drift from the eastbound lane and cross the centre line into the opposing side.

‘The vehicle crossed fully into the lane colliding head-on with the Peugeot. There appeared to be absolutely no explanation for this action.’

Paramedics found Mrs Smith, of Burghead, Moray, unresponsive in her car.

Mr Mullan added: ‘It was apparent she had suffered catastrophic injuries.’

The court heard the cause of Munro crossing the road was not known. But Mr Mullan said: ‘There are various considerations, but the likely reasons are falling asleep, a significant distraction, a medical episode or impairment caused by alcohol or drugs.’

Ronnie Renucci, QC, defending, told the hearing Munro was a first offender who felt ‘deep regret and sorrow that his actions caused the death’.

Lord Matthews deferred sentencing for reports.