A man accused of killing an island vet in a head-on crash was drinking cider and whisky just hours before the accident, a jury was told yesterday.
Thomas Wainwright denies causing the death of 29-year-old Theresa Wade near Craignure, on Mull, on October 28, 2015.
It is alleged that the 27-year-old was driving a high-powered black Maserati Ghibli at speeds up to 95mph on the wrong side of the road before colliding with the van driven by Miss Wade.
Yesterday, at his trial in the High Court in Glasgow, a barmaid told prosecutor Tim Niven-Smith that Wainwright drank four 500ml bottles of Magners Cider between lunchtime and around 5pm.
Holly Siddons, 27, who works as a barmaid in the Mishnish Hotel, Tobermory, said that Wainwright and his step-father Jerome Lopez, who lives on Mull, had three drinks and then went to Macgochans Bar for lunch.
She said that when they returned to the hotel they had a further drink each.
Mr Niven-Smith said: “At least as far as the Mishnish is concerned this is the fourth bottle of Magners served to the accused,: and Miss Siddons replied: “Yes.”
Another witness, Iain McCormick, 58, was asked if they had said where they were going afterwards and he replied: “They were going to the distillery.”
Former distillery worker Etelle Kolarikova, 23, told the court that Mr Lopez was a friend and she had agreed to let them have a whisky tasting without doing the tour.
Miss Kolarikova said: “I was on my lunch and Jerome was driving a black Maserati and stopped to introduce me to his stepson.”
Mr Niven-Smith asked her: “Did Mr Wainwright have any whisky?” and she replied: “Yes, I remember him having two drams.”
She said that Mr Lopez, who had the keys to the Maserati, had four drams. Miss Kolarikova told the court she warned Mr Lopez about drinking and driving, but he just laughed.
Mr Niven-Smith asked what day this distillery visit took place and she said it was the day of the accident.
Defence QC Ian Duguid asked Miss Kolarikova: “Who had the keys when they left the distillery?” and she replied: “Jerome had the keys of the car.”
Wainwright, who lives in France, is also charged with failing to provide a breath test and other driving offences.
He denies all the charges against him.
The jury has heard that Wainwright hired the Maserati.
Later yesterday, Stuart Wilson, 32, general manager at Duart Castle, Mull, said
that the two men waved him down.
Mr Wilson added that Wainwright was asked if he had been drinking and replied: “I’ve just had a dram at the pub.”
The court heard that Wainwright burst into tears when he heard from ambulance staff that Miss Wade was dead.
The trial before Judge John Morris QC continues.