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Parents want blackout death driver William Payne prosecuted | Parents want blackout death driver William Payne prosecuted |
(about 11 hours later) | |
The parents of two women who died after they were hit by a car driven by a man with a history of blackouts have called for him to face criminal prosecution. | |
Mhairi Convy, 18, and Laura Stewart, 20, died after being hit by William Payne's Range Rover on North Hanover Street in Glasgow on 17 December 2010. | Mhairi Convy, 18, and Laura Stewart, 20, died after being hit by William Payne's Range Rover on North Hanover Street in Glasgow on 17 December 2010. |
Their families called for a prosecution after a fatal accident inquiry report. | Their families called for a prosecution after a fatal accident inquiry report. |
It said the women may still be alive if Payne had disclosed his condition and medics had advised him not to drive. | |
The Crown has said that it will re-investigate the circumstances of the women's deaths and meet their families at the appropriate time. | |
Ms Convy, of Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire, and Ms Stewart, of Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, were accounting students at the former Central College of Commerce. | Ms Convy, of Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire, and Ms Stewart, of Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, were accounting students at the former Central College of Commerce. |
Fatally injured | Fatally injured |
The friends were on a free period when they headed towards the city centre to do some Christmas shopping. | The friends were on a free period when they headed towards the city centre to do some Christmas shopping. |
They were fatally injured after being struck by Payne's 4x4 Range Rover, which had mounted the kerb. Both students died of their injuries at the city's Royal Infirmary. | They were fatally injured after being struck by Payne's 4x4 Range Rover, which had mounted the kerb. Both students died of their injuries at the city's Royal Infirmary. |
A fatal accident inquiry, held by Sheriff Andrew Normand at Glasgow Sheriff Court, found the women's deaths were an accident which was caused by 53-year-old Payne suffering a blackout while driving. | |
The inquiry heard that, in the three years before the accident, he had suffered six blackouts. | The inquiry heard that, in the three years before the accident, he had suffered six blackouts. |
Following the accident, he was diagnosed as having "vasodepressor syncope syndrome", which results in loss of consciousness. His driving licence was withdrawn. | Following the accident, he was diagnosed as having "vasodepressor syncope syndrome", which results in loss of consciousness. His driving licence was withdrawn. |
In his findings, Sheriff Normand said the friends' deaths may have been avoided had "reasonable precautions" been taken. | |
These were: | These were: |
In a joint statement, the Convy and Stewart families called for Payne to face a criminal trial. | In a joint statement, the Convy and Stewart families called for Payne to face a criminal trial. |
"A prosecution and a criminal trial would offer the chance of justice for the loss of two beautiful young women," the families said. | "A prosecution and a criminal trial would offer the chance of justice for the loss of two beautiful young women," the families said. |
"It is in the gift of the Crown to see justice served and send a message to the wider public that such conduct will not be tolerated. | "It is in the gift of the Crown to see justice served and send a message to the wider public that such conduct will not be tolerated. |
"In, doing so, the Crown may be able to prevent other families from suffering in the same way as we have." | "In, doing so, the Crown may be able to prevent other families from suffering in the same way as we have." |
The families said they had been "completely devastated by the tragic deaths" of the women at such a young age. | |
The said: "The lies of one man, described in the determination as less than entirely frank, self-serving and lacking in credibility, took the lives of our two innocent girls and his actions have killed a piece of all us." | The said: "The lies of one man, described in the determination as less than entirely frank, self-serving and lacking in credibility, took the lives of our two innocent girls and his actions have killed a piece of all us." |
The families said they had "waited for justice for Mhairi and Laura for nearly four years" and put their belief in the criminal justice and legal systems. | The families said they had "waited for justice for Mhairi and Laura for nearly four years" and put their belief in the criminal justice and legal systems. |
They said: "Much time and attention was focused on Mr Payne's human rights. What about Mhairi and Laura's rights to life? This is not how it should be. Our girls deserve better." | They said: "Much time and attention was focused on Mr Payne's human rights. What about Mhairi and Laura's rights to life? This is not how it should be. Our girls deserve better." |
Aiming severe criticism at the prosecution authorities, they said: "We waited these long and extremely difficult years for the Crown to make a decision on whether to prosecute William Payne. | Aiming severe criticism at the prosecution authorities, they said: "We waited these long and extremely difficult years for the Crown to make a decision on whether to prosecute William Payne. |
'Unnecessary agony' | 'Unnecessary agony' |
"Their continuing failure to make that decision has meant we have had to undergo the further unnecessary agony of a FAI, lasting three traumatic weeks spread across nine months of this year. Our waiting continues. That is incomprehensible to us." | "Their continuing failure to make that decision has meant we have had to undergo the further unnecessary agony of a FAI, lasting three traumatic weeks spread across nine months of this year. Our waiting continues. That is incomprehensible to us." |
The families criticised what they described as "a lack of comprehensive investigation and delay" for bringing about a situation which offered them "no resolution". | The families criticised what they described as "a lack of comprehensive investigation and delay" for bringing about a situation which offered them "no resolution". |
Instead, they had to endure "a fatal accident inquiry which was ill-prepared by the Crown, incompetently presented and unnecessarily limited in what it could examine and determine". | Instead, they had to endure "a fatal accident inquiry which was ill-prepared by the Crown, incompetently presented and unnecessarily limited in what it could examine and determine". |
The families said: "The emotional and financial burden of uncovering much of the evidence discussed in the FAI fell on us and our legal team." | The families said: "The emotional and financial burden of uncovering much of the evidence discussed in the FAI fell on us and our legal team." |
They said their "deepest heartfelt thanks go to those who continue with us in our fight for justice for Laura and Mhairi". | They said their "deepest heartfelt thanks go to those who continue with us in our fight for justice for Laura and Mhairi". |
In a statement the Crown Office said: "Following the issue of the sheriff's determination into the circumstances of the deaths, Crown counsel has confirmed that a re-investigation of the circumstances is to be carried out." | In a statement the Crown Office said: "Following the issue of the sheriff's determination into the circumstances of the deaths, Crown counsel has confirmed that a re-investigation of the circumstances is to be carried out." |
"A law officer will be happy to meet with the families at the appropriate time." | "A law officer will be happy to meet with the families at the appropriate time." |