Drink drive teenager jailed for causing death of trainee teacher

THE father of a trainee teacher who was killed by a teenage drunk driver says no sentence will make up for the loss of his daughter.

Stephen Cumming was speaking after Jamie Dolan was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for causing the death of his 23-year-old daughter on Arbroath Road in Dundee on New Year's Day this year.

Dolan was two and a half times the drink-drive limit when he hit the honours graduate, killing her instantly.

Ms Cumming's boyfriend, 25-year-old Scott Ramsay, who was walking with her as they returned home from a party, was also seriously injured in the collision.

Unemployed Dolan, who had no driving licence and had never been behind the wheel before, was spotted fleeing the scene carrying two bottles of vodka.

The teenager, who was driving at 60mph in a 30mph zone, previously admitted causing death by dangerous driving on January 1 this year.

Dolan, of Brown Constable Street, Dundee, was sentenced to seven years' detention when he appeared before judge Lady Smith at the High Court in Edinburgh today. He was also given a 15-year driving ban.

Mr Cumming said 17-year-old Dolan had shown no regard for the lives of others.

Mr Cumming, 55, 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 and personal responsibility for their actions and who have no regard for the lives or property of others.

"He is a callous and remorseless offender, who was more concerned with retrieving two bottles of vodka from the wreckage of the 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, very much."