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Widow attacks A9 crash sentence | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A woman who lost her husband and a granddaughter in a crash has attacked the sentence handed down to the driver who admitted causing their deaths. | |
Ian Shennan, 59, from Elgin, was jailed for two years and four months at the High Court in Edinburgh. | |
Paul Anderson, 48, of Lancashire, and Samantha Carr, four, died in the crash on the A9 in the Highlands last July. | |
Outside court, Melanie Anderson said: "We just feel that the sentence does not fit the crime." | |
The judge, Lord Brodie, said he accepted Shennan had committed a "tragic error of judgement" while overtaking traffic before causing the crash that claimed the two lives. | |
Today was meant to be a new beginning Melanie Anderson | |
Lord Brodie added: "I accept this was not a case of aggressive driving." | |
But Mrs Anderson said she had expected a five year prison sentence. | |
She said: "Today was meant to be a new beginning and now we don't know how long it is going to take to put things behind us." | |
The widow also called for improvement to the A9 - a trunk road linking central Scotland with the Highlands. | |
Public and political campaigns have appealed for the route to be dual carriageway along the entire stretch from Perth to Inverness. | |
Mrs Anderson said: "They are going to have to do something about the A9 and not keep putting it off. | |
"How many people are going to have to die and how many times is the air ambulance going to have to go up?" | |
Younger sister | |
Shennan had earlier admitted causing death by dangerous driving. | Shennan had earlier admitted causing death by dangerous driving. |
Mr Anderson, an engineer from Colne, Lancashire, had been taking his family to the funeral of 27-year-old Vicky Pickering. | Mr Anderson, an engineer from Colne, Lancashire, had been taking his family to the funeral of 27-year-old Vicky Pickering. |
She had died in a crash on the M6 in Lancashire, also in July, while on her way to her home village, Gairloch, in the north west Highlands. | She had died in a crash on the M6 in Lancashire, also in July, while on her way to her home village, Gairloch, in the north west Highlands. |
Mr Anderson, who was towing a caravan, was travelling north with his wife and their grandchildren Samantha and Emma for the funeral. | Mr Anderson, who was towing a caravan, was travelling north with his wife and their grandchildren Samantha and Emma for the funeral. |
On the stretch of the A9 at Crubenmore, near Kingussie, he swerved to avoid a collision with Shennan who was attempting to overtake a line of traffic. | On the stretch of the A9 at Crubenmore, near Kingussie, he swerved to avoid a collision with Shennan who was attempting to overtake a line of traffic. |
Mr Anderson lost control of his vehicle as the caravan began to "snake" on the road and it overturned before being hit by another car. | Mr Anderson lost control of his vehicle as the caravan began to "snake" on the road and it overturned before being hit by another car. |
His wife and Samantha's younger sister Emma were injured in the smash. | His wife and Samantha's younger sister Emma were injured in the smash. |
Birthday surprise | |
The court had heard that Shennan was driving south to take used banknotes to Edinburgh and to pick up a new supply of cash for teller machines. | The court had heard that Shennan was driving south to take used banknotes to Edinburgh and to pick up a new supply of cash for teller machines. |
A slow moving car was at the front of a line of traffic and when they entered a short section of dual carriageway drivers, including Shennan, pulled out to overtake. | A slow moving car was at the front of a line of traffic and when they entered a short section of dual carriageway drivers, including Shennan, pulled out to overtake. |
A van pulling a caravan ahead of him completed the overtaking manoeuvre and Shennan then tried to overtake it. | A van pulling a caravan ahead of him completed the overtaking manoeuvre and Shennan then tried to overtake it. |
Shennan continued to overtake even after the end of the dual carriageway, travelling across the chevroned lines in the centre of the carriageway. | |
Police officers investigating the crash said he was to blame for the crash even though there was no contact between his van and the Andersons' car. | Police officers investigating the crash said he was to blame for the crash even though there was no contact between his van and the Andersons' car. |
Miss Pickering had joined the Royal Navy after leaving Gairloch High School and worked at HMS Nelson Naval Base in Portsmouth. | Miss Pickering had joined the Royal Navy after leaving Gairloch High School and worked at HMS Nelson Naval Base in Portsmouth. |
She was killed along with her friend, Zoe West, while on their way to surprise her mother Glenys Pickering - Mr Anderson's sister - on her 50th birthday. | She was killed along with her friend, Zoe West, while on their way to surprise her mother Glenys Pickering - Mr Anderson's sister - on her 50th birthday. |