At the High Court in Glasgow Damian Gulczynski, 27, from Edinburgh, pled guilty to causing the death of Julia Grierson – who was known as Margaret – by dangerous driving as he tried to overtake six cars.

The horror head-on collision took place on the A702 Edinburgh to Abington road, near to Wandel in South Lanarkshire, on March 10th in 2018.

Prosecutor Blair Speed said: "Mrs Grierson was travelling to her daughter Jill Cuthbertson's home for a birthday celebration as well as Mother's Day.”

At the High Court in Glasgow Damian Gulczynski, from Edinburgh, pled guilty to causing the death of Julia Grierson who was known as Margaret by dangerous drivingas he tried to overtake six cars.

The court heard that Mrs Grierson was driving her Kia Rio car northbound and at 1.33pm she began negotiating a right hand bend.

As she did so she was hit head-on by Gulczynski's Vauxhall Astra. The impact was such that the Kia Rio's engine was separated from the rest of the car.

'Impossible to see round bend'

Mr Speed told the court: “The accused was in the course of overtaking a line of approximately six cars on an incline towards a blind summit and a bend.

“It was impossible to see round the bend and the drivers who were being overtaken were shocked that the accused was attempting such an manoeuvre.

“His vehicle had just drawn level with the rear of a tanker that was at the front of the line of traffic at the point when the collision with Mrs Grierson's vehicle occurred.”

After the crash both the Kia and the Astra rotated though 180 degrees and Mrs Grierson's car came to rest against a crash barrier, while Gulczynski's car collided with another car.

A doctor on holiday from Brazil, who arrived at the scene of the collision, went to Mrs Grierson aid, but noted she had no signs of life.

At 2.18pm paramedics pronounced her dead.

The court heard that she worked at an optician practice in Castle Douglas and had done so for 25 years.

The accused, who worked as a land surveyor, was airlifted by helicopter to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow. He had injuries to his pelvic area, a fractured right elbow and had to undergo surgery.

The cause of Mrs Grierson's death was head and neck injuries due to a road traffic collision.

She is survived by her son Mark and daughter Jill, two grandchildren and her brother and sister.

The court heard that Gulczynski, a first offender, has not driven since the crash.

Solicitor advocate Richard Freeman said: “He wants to apologise to the family of Mrs Grierson for the loss and pain he has caused them.He says he is heartfelt sorry. The knowledge that he is responsible for taking someone life has had a profound effect on him.”

Judge Lady Stacey remanded Gulczynski in custody and deferred sentence for background reports until later this month.

Edinburgh driver overtook six cars and killed grandmother, 70, as she went to celebrate Mother's Day with her daughter