The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Tragic crash driver spared jail
A MAN who admitted causing the death of his girlfriend in a horrific car crash has avoided a prison sentence.
Sara Louise Scott (20) died in Queen Margaret Hospital from injuries sustained when Jamie Murray’s blue Seat Ibiza overturned on the A92 near New Inn Roundabout on November 5 2010.
The car hit a verge, went into a spin, rolled several times and mounted a verge on the opposite side of the road.
Murray (22), of Ladybank, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier court appearance and was remanded in custody after failing to meet social workers who were instructed to prepare pre-sentencing reports.
But he walked free from court yesterday after Sheriff McCulloch ordered him to carry out community service and banned him from driving for six years.
Murray was impassive in the dock as the sentence was read out, but Miss Scott’s sister Lauren Reilly broke down and rushed out of the court in tears.
In an interview with The Courier last month, the 20-year-old suggested she had offered Murray a shoulder to cry on.
She said: “I’m torn, I feel like Jamie has had enough punishment already, but then I remember he did take my sister’s life.
“Jamie was a friend. After the crash he confided in me a lot. We met up a couple of times. I don’t know how to explain it.”
Murray’s defence lawyerAlan Davie read out excerpts from the article in court before handing the newspaper cutting to Sheriff McCulloch.
Mr Davie added: “I’ve been in contact with the sister and she’s quite supportive of him.”
The court heard that Murray is “not entirely sure” what caused the crash but he did concede that he had a “minor lapse in concentration.”
Mr Davie said: “He fully accepts that he was careless and this has led to terrible consequences. These are consequences he will have to live with for the rest of his life.
“He lost a long-term girlfriend he cared about and he recognises her parents have lost their daughter and she leaves behind a sister and two brothers.
“He himself is understandably distraught about the death of his girlfriend. He was visibly upset when talking to me about the case.
“This is a case of careless driving where the results were tragic and disproportionate to his level of carelessness.
“It would be reasonable to say that most people who have driven for a long time have had such lapses without such consequences. His mistake on this occasion has had such awful consequences.
“At this stage he has no intention of driving again in the future.”
Sheriff McCulloch instructed Murray to carry out 275 hours of community service in the next 12 months and disqualified him from driving for six years. He will also be subject to offender supervision for two years.
He said: “I did not know Sara Scott but by all accounts she was a lovely girl, sorely missed by all who knew her.
“A moment’s lapse leads to this tragedy depriving a family of a much loved daughter.
“I accept dangerous.
“If it was a custodial sentence would have been inevitable.
“This was carelessness and in these particular circumstances custody is not necessary.
“You have served three weeks in custody for failing to turn up for reports .
“I trust that having spent that time in custody you have reflected on that.”
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