A mum wept in court as she admitted killing a motorcyclist in a crash on an Aberdeenshire road.
Naima Lightwood pleaded guilty to causing the death of Richard Smith, a carer, by careless driving in a collision on the A93 near Mains of Drum on October 25 2021.
Lightwood pulled out of a junction in the path of Mr Smith leaving the 43-year-old so seriously injured that he died at the scene.
In the wake of the tragic collision, Lightwood, 40, was left distraught, sobbing “this is my fault” and “I think I’ve killed him”.
‘No time to react’
Fiscal depute Marie Lyons told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Lightwood, a commercial adviser, had no previous convictions.
The court heard Mr Smith, who had worked as a carer for the elderly, is survived by his partner, parents, brothers and sister.
Ms Lyons said Lightwood had been at Mains of Drum Garden Centre for lunch and was driving her blue Toyota Rav4 with her mother in the passenger seat and two young children in the back.
Meanwhile, Mr Smith had been in Drumoak carrying out a home visit for an elderly man.
Just before 3pm, Lightwood left the garden centre and travelled towards the junction with A93, where Mr Smith was riding from Drumoak towards Aberdeen.
He was wearing a black and yellow helmet and a jacket with reflective strips and fluorescent yellow mesh. His gloves also had reflective piping.
Ms Lyons said: “Witnesses all speak to Richard Smith riding normally and within the speed limit.
“As Richard Smith reached the junction for Drum Castle, the accused, who had been stopped at the junction, emerged from the give-way junction, directly into the path of Richard Smith.
‘Sincerest sympathies and condolences’
“She stopped again but the offside of her vehicle collided with the front of his motorcycle.
“Witness all speak to Richard Smith having no time to react to the accused’s vehicle emerging from the junction into his path.”
As a result of the collision, Mr Smith came to a “sudden stop”, landing on the road surface, still on his motorbike.
Members of the public going to his aid found him unconscious and contacted the emergency services.
A member of a medical trauma team carried out “advanced life support” on Mr Smith but tragically was unable to save him and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 3.50pm.
Lightwood was described by witnesses as being “in shock, screaming and distraught”.
She was heard saying: “This is my fault, I know it’s my fault. What if I’ve killed? Oh no, I think I’ve killed him.”
Lightwood and her passengers were taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary as a precaution but only suffered minor injuries.
A collision investigation concluded the crash was “the result of error on the part of the accused”.
Mum ‘can’t explain’ why she didn’t see motorbike
Ms Lyons said: “According to the collision investigators, as the accused approached the give way junction with the A93, she would have a clear view of the eastbound lane
towards the west for 216.8 metres.
“This would provide the accused 8.08 seconds view of vehicles travelling at the 60mph speed limit from the preceding bend.
“For whatever reason, the accused has failed to see Richard Smith on the road which has resulted in her emerging from the junction and colliding with him, causing his death.”
Defence counsel Frances McMenamin KC conveyed her “sincerest sympathies and condolences” on behalf of her client to Mr Smith’s family.
She said: “I’d like to make it clear there’s nothing I will say that’s intended to minimise or diminish in any way the grief and loss they feel.”
Ms McMenamin said Lightwood had given birth to a baby boy just 17 days before the incident.
The solicitor explained that Lightwood had had to put on her prescription sunglasses due to the sun being so bright, but that there were no distractions in the car, despite the two children.
‘Her remorse and regret for what happened are deeply heartfelt’
She said: “When she reached the junction, she did actually stop and carried out the usual procedures, looking both directions before moving out.
“One driver described the car moving out at a normal speed but stopping again just as she reached the main carriageway just a second before Mr Smith’s motorcycle reaches the Toyota.
“She has no recollection at all of seeing the motorcycle. She can’t explain why she didn’t, given that he must have been in very close proximity when she moved out.”
Ms McMenamin also highlighted that a number of other witnesses had commented on the low position of the sun.
She quoted a police officer as having said: “The sun was directly in my driver’s eye-level, impairing my vision and making driving conditions difficult.”
The lawyer added that the “burden” of the tragic incident “weighs heavy on her every single day”.
She said: “There’s not a day that goes by that she doesn’t think about Richard Smith and his family and the pain and sorrow she has caused them.
“Her remorse and regret for what happened are deeply heartfelt.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin deferred sentence on Lightwood, of Lochside Crescent, Banchory, until next month for reports.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.