Drink driver who killed vet faces lengthy prison sentence
A DRINK driver who killed an island vet in a head-on collision is facing a lengthy jail sentence.
At the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday (March 21), Thomas Wainwright, 27, was convicted of causing the death of 29-year-old Theresa Wade by dangerous driving.
As the unanimous guilty verdict was announced members of Miss Wade’s family shouted: ‘Yes’.
The court heard that Wainwright was drinking cider and whisky for eight-and-a-half hours before he ploughed his high-powered Maserati into the white Berlingo van driven by Miss Wade.
Wainwright was on the wrong side of the road and travelling at speeds of up to 95mph in the hire car, which had a black box fitted, just minutes before the crash on October 28 2015 on the A849 near Craignure, Mull.
During the trial, Wainwright and his passenger, 42-year-old Jerome Lopez, claimed Miss Wade had been on the wrong said of the road and caused the accident, but the jury did not believe them.
Outside court, Miss Wade’s partner of 10 years, Charles Pease, said: ‘Thomas Wainwright will have to live with what he did.
‘All Theresa wanted to be was the island vet. People loved her.
‘The unanimous verdict delivered today has vindicated Theresa quite clearly, and her reputation remains unsullied.
‘The verdict has not brought Theresa back, but our faith in justice has not been misplaced.’
Prosecutor Tim Niven-Smith revealed that Wainwright, who worked as the first officer on the £6.26million yacht MY Mahoga
ny, based in the south of France, has a previous conviction for driving while unfit through drink or drugs.
At a court in Nice, he was fined 700 euros and given a suspended sentence.
Witnesses from Mull told of how Wainwright, who was drinking with his mother’s partner 42-year-old Jerome Lopez, consumed five 500ml bottles of Magners cider in the Mishnish Hotel, a pint of cider in Macgochan’s pub, two whiskies in the distillery, all Tobermory, and another two pints of cider in the Craignure Inn, Craignure.
When asked in the Craignure Inn who was driving the car, because both he and Mr Lopez had been drinking, Wainwright boasted: ‘The car knows its own way home.’
He then got behind the wheel claiming he ‘had a clear head’ and felt fine to drive.
Less than three miles down the road as he headed towards Tobermory on the wrong side of the road his hire car smashed into the Berlingo van driven by Miss Wade.
She died at the scene. The force of the impact was so great that the engine block was pushed into the cabin.
In court, Wainwright and his passenger Mr Lopez tried to blame Miss Wade for the crash and insisted it was she who was on the wrong side of the road.
Wainwright was on Mull, along with members of his family, visiting his sick grandmother. He flew into Edinburgh airport and hired the Maserati.
Judge John Morris remanded Wainwright in custody and banned him from driving. He will be sentenced next month.
Mr Pease said the night of the crash Miss Wade had phoned to say she would be home soon and he began preparing a meal for them.
He said that when she did not return he thought she had been called out on an emergency.
Mr Pease said he went to bed and was wakened at 4am or 4.30am by the police. He added: ‘They advised that she had been involved in a road traffic accident and she had died.’
He, along with Miss Wade’s mother Mary and retired vet Jimmy Wilson, help to run the vet practice on the island.
Wainwright will be sentenced next month.
On Tuesday, Inspector Adam McKenzie, divisional road policing inspector for Argyll and West Dunbartonshire Police Division, said: ‘Firstly I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family of Theresa Wade. Her family were left devastated by this incident in 2015 and continue to come to terms with the loss of their daughter, sister and partner.
‘Wainwright, during a holiday in Scotland, rented a high-powered vehicle and got behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol. Without any consideration for the safety of pedestrians or other motorists in his path, he drove at excessive speeds and without due consideration. This resulted in the death of Theresa Wade.
‘This case unfortunately highlights the devastating effects of drink driving. His utterly selfish decision has completely shattered the lives of Theresa Wade’s family and will forever impact on his own life. While we recognise the decision of the court, the damage caused cannot be undone.
‘Our message is simple – never drink and drive.’