Drunk driver who killed mother on the day of her son's wedding sentenced
Drunk driver Steven Bennie sentenced to 7 years and 6 months for causing death of Marie Laurie in Glasgow last November.
A drink-driver who caused the death of a mum as she returned home from her son's wedding has been jailed for seven years and six months.
Steven Bennie appeared at the High Court in Glasgow last month and pleaded guilty to causing the death of Marie Laurie by dangerous driving at 80mph.
He hung his head and sobbed as the judge told him it was probably one of the happiest days of Mrs Laurie's life.
Mrs Laurie, 57, and her husband Jamie were in a black Hackney taxi on Edinburgh Road in the east end of Glasgow on November 29 when it was struck by a car driven by Bennie.
The 21-year-old was being pursued by police at the time of the fatal collision after he drove off when they approached him because he did not have a licence at the time.
He also admitted driving while over the legal limit and without insurance. He was found to have 71mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood when the limit is 50mg.
Mrs Laurie's heartbroken son, Martin Colquhoun, whose wedding his mother was returning home from when she was tragically killed gave his thoughts on the sentencing and one of the “poignant moments of his life”.
Speaking outside the court he said: “We got what we expected, it's never enough compared to what we've lost but we got enough for us to be happy today.
“It's not long enough to take away the pain we're going through but we are a very strong family and that will get us through this.”
He added: “It was one of the happiest days of my life, obviously getting married seeing all my family happy, the fact it turned so quickly, it was probably one of the most poignant moments of my life.”
Speaking about his forthcoming wedding anniversary next month he said: “It's going to be a tough couple of days, married one day and lost my mum the next day.
“We're planning on going away for a couple of days to get away from life in general. I will never forget those two days of my life, you always remember your wedding day.
“It's the highlight of your life, to lose your mum the next day in tragic circumstances is going to be tough, it's going to be tough for the whole family.
“We're going to take it as it comes, the next month is going to be a hard month.
“Now we have this all over with, we don't have to come and stand in front of courts and hear this again hopefully that should help us get some closure hopefully. Because that's all we're looking for, just a bit of closure.
“I'm hoping I can take that from here because it's been a tough week for me knowing this was coming up.
“But we're happy with the sentencing.”
Asked to comment on Bennie, Mr Colquhoun said “He's not in my thoughts, my mum is more in my thoughts than anyone else.
“He's just a boy that had a bad experience and he's caused a death. To be honest with you he could be ruined for the rest of his life as well.
“Let's hope he takes from that and moves on and let's hope he can manage to get over the fact he's killed somebody. I've no hatred, it's not something that I want to be filled with anger.”