Smithton man jailed following fatal Ross-shire smash

A Smithton man who killed a woman in a crash after speeding dangerously has been jailed for four and a half years.

Steven Keiro's silver Mitsubishi Lancer collided with a car being driven by Linsy Gordon on the A862 Dingwall to Ardullie roundabout road, in Ross-shire, on the 24th of October, 2014.

Keiro lost control of his vehicle and drove into an oncoming car, with his 49-year-old victim returning to her home in Evanton after a walk in the Cairngorms - she died later that day at Raigmore Hospital, despite the efforts of firefighters in cutting her free from the wreckage.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Armstrong said that because of the level of criminal culpability shown by Keiro there was no alternative to a prison sentence.

"...it has never actually left my mind since the day it happened"

As well as the four and a half year sentence, Keiro was also banned from driving for eight years and until he passes a driving test again.

Keiro, who was aged 22 at the time of the incident, had denied causing her death by driving dangerously at excessive speed on the A9 and A862 and colliding with the other car on the A862 between Ardullie roundabout and Dingwall after losing control of his vehicle at an earlier trial, but was found guilty of the offence.

Lord Armstrong told him at the time: "You have been convicted now of the gravest of offences. You have taken the life of another while driving dangerously."

Keiro's defence counsel David Nicholson asked him how he now felt about causing her death. He replied: "Absolutely horrific. It has never actually left my mind since the day it happened."

Mr Nicholson said that none of the aggravating features that can appear in such road death cases, like drink or drugs, was present.

He said Keiro had shown genuine remorse and regret.