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| Abbie Mclaren: Relative admits causing 12-year-old's death | Abbie Mclaren: Relative admits causing 12-year-old's death |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A man has admitted causing the death of his 12-year-old relative by dangerous driving. | A man has admitted causing the death of his 12-year-old relative by dangerous driving. |
| Abbie Mclaren died after being hit by a car on The Loaning in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, on 12 February. | Abbie Mclaren died after being hit by a car on The Loaning in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, on 12 February. |
| The High Court in Glasgow heard that Martin McGuire, 38, from Hamilton, had been travelling at 51mph on the road, which has a 30mph speed restriction. | The High Court in Glasgow heard that Martin McGuire, 38, from Hamilton, had been travelling at 51mph on the road, which has a 30mph speed restriction. |
| McGuire is a cousin of Abbie's father John Mclaren, who was a passenger in the car when Abbie was hit. | McGuire is a cousin of Abbie's father John Mclaren, who was a passenger in the car when Abbie was hit. |
| The court heard that Abbie had no contact with her father and did not know McGuire. | The court heard that Abbie had no contact with her father and did not know McGuire. |
| McGuire provided a negative breath test, but admitted he had no licence and no insurance at the time of the crash. It also emerged that he had never had a full driving licence but was the holder of an expired provisional licence. | McGuire provided a negative breath test, but admitted he had no licence and no insurance at the time of the crash. It also emerged that he had never had a full driving licence but was the holder of an expired provisional licence. |
| Abbie, who was a pupil at Dalziel High School, was hit by McGuire's Citroen D3 car at 16:08 after she and a friend got off a bus outside the U-Save shop. | Abbie, who was a pupil at Dalziel High School, was hit by McGuire's Citroen D3 car at 16:08 after she and a friend got off a bus outside the U-Save shop. |
| The 12-year-old's friend had stopped half-way across the road but Abbie had continued to run across and was hit by the car. | The 12-year-old's friend had stopped half-way across the road but Abbie had continued to run across and was hit by the car. |
| The court was told that it was coincidental that McGuire and Abbie's father had been driving along the road at the time. | The court was told that it was coincidental that McGuire and Abbie's father had been driving along the road at the time. |
| The court heard that the speed at which the vehicle was travelling caused Abbie to be projected forward onto a nearby parked car. She suffered multiple fractures and died in hospital the next day. | The court heard that the speed at which the vehicle was travelling caused Abbie to be projected forward onto a nearby parked car. She suffered multiple fractures and died in hospital the next day. |
| Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC said: "He [McGuire] drove the vehicle well in excess of the 30mph speed limit. | |
| "It was calculated from CCTV footage that he travelled at an average speed of 51mph while the vehicle was braking. | "It was calculated from CCTV footage that he travelled at an average speed of 51mph while the vehicle was braking. |
| "There was nothing obscuring his view and no reason for him not to observe her just before the point of collision. | "There was nothing obscuring his view and no reason for him not to observe her just before the point of collision. |
| "The speed travelled did not allow sufficient reaction time to an obvious hazard such as a person crossing the road." | "The speed travelled did not allow sufficient reaction time to an obvious hazard such as a person crossing the road." |
| McGuire, a father-of-seven, had stopped the car and remained at the scene. | McGuire, a father-of-seven, had stopped the car and remained at the scene. |
| Previous convictions | Previous convictions |
| During court proceedings it also emerged that he had previous road traffic convictions for offences including drink driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. | During court proceedings it also emerged that he had previous road traffic convictions for offences including drink driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. |
| Sentence was deferred to 28 June for reports to be prepared. | Sentence was deferred to 28 June for reports to be prepared. |
| McGuire, a roofer from Hamilton, was released on bail but was warned by Judge Lady Scott: "Please don't misunderstand that you must appreciate you are facing a prison sentence." | McGuire, a roofer from Hamilton, was released on bail but was warned by Judge Lady Scott: "Please don't misunderstand that you must appreciate you are facing a prison sentence." |
| McGuire was also banned from driving in the interim. | McGuire was also banned from driving in the interim. |
| Mr Prentice told the court: "Abbie Mclaren lived with her mother and stepfather and brother and sisters and was especially close to her 13-year-old sister. | Mr Prentice told the court: "Abbie Mclaren lived with her mother and stepfather and brother and sisters and was especially close to her 13-year-old sister. |
| "She was a very popular girl and enjoyed life to the full. She often went on sleepovers to her grandparents. Her grandparents are going to miss her deeply." | "She was a very popular girl and enjoyed life to the full. She often went on sleepovers to her grandparents. Her grandparents are going to miss her deeply." |
| The prosecutor added that Abbie loved football and swimming. | The prosecutor added that Abbie loved football and swimming. |
| Six days after her death, almost 1,000 people turned out for a torchlight vigil to call for safer roads in Motherwell. | Six days after her death, almost 1,000 people turned out for a torchlight vigil to call for safer roads in Motherwell. |
| The silent march lined the road where Abbie died. | The silent march lined the road where Abbie died. |
| Campaigners are calling for North Lanarkshire Council to put traffic control measures on The Loaning and organised a petition which gained more than 12,600 signatures in less than a week. | Campaigners are calling for North Lanarkshire Council to put traffic control measures on The Loaning and organised a petition which gained more than 12,600 signatures in less than a week. |
| At the time, the local authority said it would be working with Police Scotland throughout the investigation and would take appropriate action based on the findings. | At the time, the local authority said it would be working with Police Scotland throughout the investigation and would take appropriate action based on the findings. |