An “idiot” driver who killed a woman in a crash after speeding was told by a judge yesterday that he had committed “the gravest of offences”.
Steven Keiro’s silver Mitsubishi Lancer collided with a car being driven by Linsy Gordon on the A862 Dingwall to Ardullie road, in Ross-shire, on October 24 in 2014.
The 49-year-old mother and care manager died later that day in Raigmore Hospital after firefighters freed her from her vehicle.
She had been returning to her home in Evanton after walking in the Cairngorms with work colleagues.
Keiro, 25, of Cranmore Drive, Smithton, had denied causing her death by driving dangerously at excessive speed on the A9 and A862 and losing control of his car which went into the path of the oncoming vehicle.
But after he was found guilty of the offence at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Armstrong told him: “You have been convicted now of the gravest of offences. You have taken the life of another while driving dangerously.”
The judge said: “I have no doubt the family of Linsy Gordon will be deeply affected by this and I also have no doubt that nothing I can do by way of penalty will assuage their loss.”
Following the verdict the court heard that technician Keiro had been banned from driving for seven months and fined £400 for a speeding offence at Inverness Sheriff Court in 2015.
Sentence was deferred on Keiro until later this month for the preparation of a background report. Lord Armstrong imposed an interim driving ban on him.
Defence counsel David Nicholson said: “He appreciates he has been convicted of a very serious offence.”
When police arrived at the crash the woman driver was trapped in her car and Keiro was lying on the road beside his vehicle, with extensive damage to both cars.
Kevin Ellis, 56, who was driving a bus between Tain and Inverness, said he saw a silver car ahead of him on the A9 and told the court his attention was drawn to it by its speed. He estimated that the vehicle was travelling at 80 to 85 mph on the road which has a 60 mph limit.
He said: “I just thought ‘what an idiot going at that speed’.”
Mr Ellis said he saw the vehicle again in the distance overtaking another car. He had then exited the roundabout towards Dingwall and saw the silver car again at the accident scene with the other vehicle involved up on a grass verge.
Keiro had offered a guilty plea to causing the victim’s death by the lesser offence of careless driving.
Mr Nicholson asked him how he now felt about causing her death. He replied: “Absolutely horrific. It has never actually left my mind since the day it happened.”
