Bus driver who knocked down and killed a man in Glasgow avoids jail

A bus driver who ran over and killed an elderly man crossing a road on his daily walk avoided jail today.

Amarjit Singh, 56, struck Scott Willies, 65, on Glasgow's Great Western Road on January 27 2024.

The First Bus employee failed to spot Mr Willies despite having a 700-metre view of the road in front of him.

First offender Singh pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to causing death by careless driving.

Sheriff John McCormick said: "Mr Willies was a much-loved husband, brother and friend.

"His family have been heartbroken by his loss.

"I read the terms of the victim impact statement and I can understand their torment at the manner of his demise."

Singh, of the city's Maryhill, was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for 24 months.

The court previously heard that Mr Willies was out at around 7am doing his 30,000 steps per day walk.

Singh meantime was driving a number six bus towards Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire.

Prosecutor Paula Wedlock said: "As the bus was approaching at the junction, the traffic lights changed to amber.

"Singh failed to slow down and instead maintained his speed through the junction at 24 miles per hour."

Mr Willies crossed the stop line while the amber light was illuminated.

Miss Wedlock stated: "On the approach to Great Western Road, Mr Willies didn't stop to check for traffic and continued to walk across the road.

"This was directly into the path of Singh's bus."

The fiscal depute added that Mr Willies did not cross directly at the crossing but before the recognised area.

Miss Wedlock said: "At this time, the crossing displayed a red man for pedestrians waiting to cross.

"The front nearside windscreen of the bus struck Mr Willies causing him to fall to the ground and he went under the bus.

"The bus stopped and Mr Willies' body was lying behind it."

Emergency crews attended and did CPR but unfortunately Mr Willies lost his life at the scene.

A post-mortem stated that he died from "multiple injuries consistent with the circumstances."

An investigation found no defects to the bus and Singh had not been on his phone at the time of the collision.

Miss Wedlock said: "The north bound driver had a view of at least 700 metres along a straight stretch of road which is generally level."

The fiscal depute added that Mr Willies' view of the road, in the hours of darkness, would have been impacted due to shrubbery.

The hearing was told that Mr Willies leaves behind Jacqueline who was his wife for over 25 years.

After his death, Mr Willies was described as "A long serving colleague and respected Director of the Arnold Clark Group. He was much loved and will be sorely missed by all of his wider family and his many friends."

David Nicolson KC, defending, said: "I am aware that friends and family of Mr Willies are in the court.

"I take this opportunity on his behalf to send his sincere condolences to them.

"He hopes in some small way that his plea of guilty will offer them some comfort and allow matters to progress rather than what would have been the case."

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