Learner driver admits killing Dumfries woman in Ayrshire crash

A learner driver killed a great-grandmother in a horror smash while driving on the wrong side of the road.

Thomas Devlin, 26, overtook Vhaed Akhtar's car on the A76 Kilmarnock to Dumfries road and clipped the driver's mirror.

He continued – at speed – on the wrong side of the road towards Donna Miller's car, which forced her to swerve to try and avoid him.

But Devlin hit Donna Miller's car which then hit the kerb and spun into the other side of the road and into the path of Mr Akthar.

His Ford Focus smacked into the boot and back of her vehicle, where her 68-year-old mother-in-law Isabella was sitting.

Devlin fled and Donna Miller and her husband Mark climbed out of the car, but Mrs Miller was trapped and pronounced dead at the scene.

At the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday, Devlin, from Auchinleck, Ayrshire pled guilty to causing the death of Mrs Miller by dangerous driving on the A76 near to Skerrington roundabout, Cumnock on March 24.

He also admitted a string of other driving charges including driving without 'L' plates or without insurance earlier that month as well as not have a full licence or MOT on the day of the fatal crash, and failing to stop and provide details.

The court heard provisional licence holder Devlin bought a car in New Cumnock from a man on Facebook on the day of the crash.

The seller suggested Devlin leave the car in his driveway because it had no MOT but instead he drove the Peugeot away, with his two friends as passengers.

Advocate depute Angela Gray said on the evening of March 24, Mrs Miller, from Dumfries, left a party at bowling club in Cumnock with her son Mark and wife Donna, who was the designated driver.

At 11.05pm Donna Miller turned left at the Skerrington roundabout, Cumnock and drove in the direction of Dumfries.

Meanwhile Mr Akhtar, a chef who was driving home, was on the A76 towards Cumnock on the other side of the road.

He noticed Devlin driving behind him.

Miss Gray said: “As Mr Akhtar negotiated a left hand bend passing a lay-by, Devlin overtook Mr Akhtar's Ford Focus in his newly purchased Peugeot.

“In performing that manoeuvre, the Peugeot struck the driver's mirror of Mr Akhtar's Ford Focus.”

Devlin drove ahead of Mr Akhtar and overtook another car and “continued at speed” on the wrong side of the road.

Miss Gray added: “Still on the opposing carriageway, Devlin drove the Peugeot directly towards the oncoming Vauxhall Antara, driven by Donna Miller.

“She saw the vehicle as did Mark Miller who was in the front passenger seat.

“Donna Miller swerved to her left in an effort to avoid the collision but despite that, the front of the Peugeot driven by Devlin struck the driver's door of the Vauxhall.”

The court heard this led her car to hit the kerb causing it to roll and rotate and cross on to the other side of the road – directly into the path of Mr Akhtar.

The front of his Ford Focus hit the Vauxhall Antara “causing significant intrusion into the boot area and rear passenger cabin” where Mrs Miller was.

Devlin's car mounted a grass verge and he and a friend ran off while Donna and Mark Miller climbed out of the driver's window of their car.

Miss Gray said: “Isabella Miller however was trapped within the rear of the Vauxhall Antara.

“It was clear to her son and daughter-in-law that she was unconscious.

“Mark Miller put his arm through the broken window and felt his mother's neck for a pulse, he thought he could feel a very weak one.”

He called for the emergency services who pronounced Mrs Miller dead at the scene.

A post-mortem revealed she had a number of injuries which could each have been fatal including a significant spinal cord injury, multiple rib fractures and a tear in the largest blood vessel in her body.

The findings indicated she would have died quickly on impact.

Devlin was later tracked down and told police he was the driver. By then, he knew Mrs Miller was the grandmother of his cousin's wife.

During his police interview he claimed his memory wasn't clear and accepted he was driving the Peugeot at the time.

He said he ran off because he was “scared” that he would not be insured without a qualified driver.

Asked how he felt knowing a woman had died because of the crash he said: “I can't describe to you how I feel right now.

“Nobody knows how I feel right now. I could only give you a shot at my stomach for five minutes and feel what's wrong inside it, I'm broken, I'm broken man honestly I'm broken.”

Defence counsel Kevin McCallum said his client expresses “profound remorse” for what his actions have caused.

Judge Lord Burns deferred sentence until later this year for reports and remanded Devlin.