The family of a man killed when his girlfriend drove over him with her car screamed “murderer” as she walked free from court.
Joshua Kerr died when Grace Ross hit him with her Vauxhall Corsa at a farm near Leslie in Fife on May 22 2020.
Although she hit the 18-year-old at less than 3mph, she then ran over his head with the car.
Mr Kerr did not survive the resulting catastrophic head injury.
Ross, who is now 21, was due to stand trial on a charge of causing death by dangerous driving but pled guilty to the lesser offence of causing death by careless driving.
A court heard how Mr Kerr was “the love of her life” and that she had suffered PTSD as a result of his death.
At the High Court in Edinburgh Judge Lord Sandison spared her a custodial sentence.
Instead, the former student – who was due to start a Dundee university course before Mr Kerr’s death – must carry out 300 hours of unpaid work within 18 months.
Ross, of Glenrothes, was also banned from driving for five years and must sit the extended test to regain her licence.
Sentencing guidelines
At an earlier hearing at the High Court in Glasgow, prosecutor Gavin Anderson told how the couple had been together for three years.
They had an argument before the incident over Raith Rovers fan Mr Kerr’s finances, including what was described as a “cash app” on his phone.
On Monday, Ross’s lawyer Donald Findlay QC told the court she is genuinely remorseful for causing Mr Kerr’s death.
Mr Findlay urged judge Lord Braid not to send his client to jail, saying it was in the public interest for another disposal to be given.
Lord Braid agreed and ordered Ross to perform 300 hours community service.
He said he had to take into account sentencing guidelines for people aged under 25, which state young people should only be sent to prison if no other sentence is available.
Lord Braid concluded the circumstances of the collision and its aftermath meant Ross could be dealt with by a community payback order.
‘She’s a murderer and I hate her’
The judge told Ross: “You stopped your car, got out of the vehicle and contacted the emergency services.
“You administered first aid to Mr Kerr.
“I have read victim impact statements which describe the loss and void which have been left in the lives of Mr Kerr’s family and friends.
“There is no sentence that I can pass which can ever fill that.
“I have also taken into account the remorse that you expressed, which I accept is genuine.”
A female relative of Mr Kerr, believed to be his mother, shouted: “She’s a murderer and I hate her.”
Drove over victim with both wheels
At earlier proceedings, prosecutor Gavin Anderson told the court of how it was Ross’s “suspicion” the farmhand was hiding things from her.
The advocate depute said: “She said she was coming to the farm unless he handed over the code to the cash app.”
Ross then turned up at around 11am that morning.
She got hold of Mr Kerr’s phone and got back into her Vauxhall Corsa.
Ross accelerated harshly, did a three-point turn on the narrow road and at just 2.3mph, according to investigators, hit Mr Kerr.
Mr Anderson added: “He was struck by the front offside which caused him to fall and then be under the car.
“Once he was lying on his back, both of the offside wheels went over him.
“One left a tyre tread imprint on his trousers as it passed over his leg.
“The rear offside wheel ran over his head and caused a significant skull fracture – the injury was incompatible with life.”
Begged for ‘one last hug’
A hysterical Ross immediately leapt, screaming, out of the car and rushed to help the teenager before dialling 999.
He never recovered from his injuries.
Ross begged police to let her give her boyfriend “one last hug” but was stopped from doing so.
She told officers: “We had a fight and I came up to see him.
“When I tried to leave, he jumped in front of me and I hit him.”
It emerged her concerns about the app were “unfounded”.
Ross was initially charged with murder.
‘Deeply sorry’
Mr Findlay described the case as being “tragic at all levels” and expressed his condolences to Joshua’s family.
He said Ross – who was set to study politics at Dundee University before the collision – had been “deeply affected”.
“Miss Ross continues to grieve for the loss of her boyfriend, her partner, for the love of her life.
“She has never been anything other than deeply sorry for the events that happened that day. ”
Mr Kerr’s family did not wish to comment as they left court.
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