Former Helmsdale resident fined £3k and banned from road for four years for causing death by careless driving
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A retired welder was killed instantly when an 81-year-old motorist inexplicably drifted on to the opposite side of the A9 and there was a head-on collision.
Invergordon based James Thain (63), suffered multiple injuries in the crash which also involved another motorist striking Stuart Blaire's car on July 20, 2019.
The multi-car incident happened about half a mile from the Skiach junction on the A9 near Alness and Blaire, who admitted causing Mr Thain's death by careless driving, suffered several fractures.
Sheriff Gary Aitken told Blaire who appeared for sentence at Inverness Sheriff Court today: "The one thing I cannot do is make things any better. I cannot turn the clock back or change what happened or the appalling consequences.
"My duty is to impose a penalty on you for your failure - it was a moment of carelessness which has had truly appalling consequences for Mr Thain, his family and your family. It will be with you and them for the rest of your lives. But it is not the function of the court to put a value on human life."
Sheriff Aitken ruled out custody, unpaid work or a restriction of liberty order, after a plea by defence counsel Susan Duff. Instead, he said a "substantial fine" would be imposed. He fined Blaire, formerly of Helmsdale and now of Sunnyside View, Kintore, near Inverurie, £3000, disqualified him from driving for four years and ordered him to resit the extended test of competency.
Ms Duff told the Sheriff that her client had surrendered his licence immediately after the accident and vowed never to drive again.
Fiscal depute Iain Gray said Blaire moved about a metre on to the opposite carriageway as if to overtake on a sweeping bend with unrestricted views and Mr Thain tried to avoid the collision.
He said subsequent investigations showed that no alcohol or physical impairment affected Blaire, there were no mechanical defects to his Vauxhall Vectra and he was not unwell.
Ms Duff told the court that Blaire didn't know what had happened. She added that he was returning a hired car after a holiday in England to visit his dying brother, who passed away two weeks after.
"He has asked me again to pass on his deepest condolences to Mr Thain's family. He is acutely aware of the distress he has caused and will have recurring thoughts of it for the rest of his life."
She asked the Sheriff to accept that since there were no aggravating factors, that Blaire's culpability was at the lower end of the scale, "but tragically the consequences were catastrophic. He wants to make amends but he can't."
A9 death driver tells court of his sorrow
