Youth with 40 convictions is jailed for killing graduate in car horror

Published on Friday 17 September 2010 14:32

A TEENAGE drink-driver who robbed an honours graduate of "her hopes, dreams and her life" has been sentenced to seven years' detention.

Jamie Dolan, 17, knocked down and killed Caroline Cumming, 23, and seriously injured her boyfriend, Scott Ramsay, 25, as he tried to drive home in Dundee from a party on New Year's Day morning.

It was the first time Dolan had driven and he was more than twice the legal alcohol limit.

Yesterday, Ms Cumming's family saw Dolan being sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh. Afterwards, her father, Stephen, said: "Caroline was robbed of her hopes and dreams, and of her life, and no sentence can ever compensate for this.

"Sadly, too many innocent people are affected by individuals like Jamie Dolan, who take no moral or personal responsibility for their actions, and who have no regard for the lives or property of others."

He added: "He is a callous and remorseless offender, with more than 40 juvenile convictions, who was more concerned with retrieving two bottles of vodka from the wreckage of the stolen vehicle than in trying to help Caroline, or her seriously injured boyfriend, Scott.

"There is not a moment in the day that Caroline is not in our thoughts, and we all miss her so very much."

Ms Cumming, of Springhill, Dundee, had graduated in psychology from Abertay University, and wanted to be a teacher.

Last Hogmanay, she and Mr Ramsay attended a party and decided to walk home. They stopped for a moment about 7am in Arbroath Road, Dundee.

But a Ford Mondeo driven by Dolan at around 60mph in the 30mph zone, struck railings and careered towards the couple.

It hit Ms Cumming first, and she was thrown into Mr Ramsay who, in turn, was catapulted into a garden. Ms Cumming was thrown 90ft, landing on the road. ?"On hearing the noise of the collision, a resident of one of the nearby flats looked out his window and saw the accused's hooded figure exit from the car and run from the scene. He was carrying two bottles of vodka as he ran," said the advocate-depute, John Scullion.

Dolan had been to a party and was drunk when he and a friend, also drunk, left in the Mondeo. The friend drove first and then got out and left Dolan, who set off and lost control just before striking the couple.

Ms Cumming died at the scene. Mr Ramsay suffered serious leg injuries and required surgery and skin grafts. He still has to use crutches. Dolan admitted causing her death and severe injury to Mr Ramsay by driving dangerously while drunk.His count was 88, the legal limit being 35.

The defence solicitor-advocate, Chris Fyffe, said Dolan had a "dreadful" upbringing and had been rejected by his drug addict mother. Dolan was also banned from driving for 15 years.