Death driver jailed despite mercy plea

Published on 18/10/2012 00:00

A DRIVER who caused a pensioner’s death in a head-on
crash has been jailed for two years, in spite of a plea for mercy from the dead woman’s family.

Edward Beckley, 27, attempted a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre and crashed into a car driven by Sarah Stewart, 77, of Moffat, on the A701 near Johnstonebridge, Dumfries and Galloway, on 3 March last year. Husband George Stewart, 79, a passenger, was seriously injured.

Beckley, of Bathgate, West Lothian, was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Mrs Stewart’s nephew, Andrew Dick, had written a testimonal for Beckley in which he said that no purpose would be served by sending him to prison.