Court: Man sentenced to 250 hours’ community service for girl’ s death

The mother of a Moray teenager who was killed in a car crash said yesterday she was “relieved” the motorist who caused the accident was not jailed.

Neringa Narusyte, from Buckie, died in a two-car crash on the B9016 Keith to Buckie road nearly two years ago when she was just 14 years old.

Yesterday her mother, Ilona Narusiene, forgave Keith teenager Owen Petrie, who was driving the car her daughter was in and encouraged him to move on and “make most of his life”.

Petrie had admitted causing the fatal crash by driving at “excessive speed” and without due care and attention for the road.

The 19-year-old avoided a custodial sentence at Elgin Sheriff Court when Sheriff Gary Aitken told the motorist that it would be a “more useful reminder” for him to give back to the community instead.

After the hearing, Mrs Narusiene said: “I have forgiven him because I don’t see any reason to break up another family.

“Our life is already worse the for our loss, but there is nothing I can do to bring my daughter back.”

Mrs Narusiene said the young man had been often in her thoughts.

She said: “From the first day after the crash, I haven’t wished any injury on him... He was not looking to kill her.”

Petrie was giving Neringa and a friend a lift home to Buckie at the time of the crash.

He drove his Vauxhall Corsa at speeds up to 70mph on the twisty B9016.

When the car reached a series of sharp bends at Ryeriggs his vehicle clipped the grass verge, crashed through a road sign and spun into the opposing carriageway.

Stephen Farquhar, who was driving in the opposite direction, slammed his brakes in an attempt to stop but could not avoid the car.

Neringa was pronounced dead at the scene, while another 14-year-old female passenger spent three weeks in hospital with a broken neck, multiple rib fractures, a collapsed lung, a fractured pelvis and cut liver. A 16-year-old girl broke her collarbone.

Neither Petrie, a 17-yearold passenger in Petrie’s car, nor Mr Farquhar were injured.

Defence solicitor Stephen Carty explained his client immediately accepted responsibility for the crash.

He said: “This is something that will prey heavily on his mind for many years to come – most likely life.”

Sheriff Aitken told Petrie: “I am giving you the opportunity to live your life as an example to others”

Petrie, of Hay Crescent in Keith, was sentenced to 250 hours of unpaid work and banned from driving for four years. for the rest of his

TRAGIC: The man who is responsible for the death of Neringa, centre, has been forgiven by her grieving mother