A motorist from Fife who killed a cyclist in a collision while using her mobile phone has had her driving ban lifted early.
Julie Watson was jailed for five years on June 3 2015 and disqualified from holding a licence for a decade after she was convicted of causing the death of Alistair Speed.
Watson was also guilty of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by deleting a record of the phone call she was making during the 2013 tragedy.
She denied her crimes and claimed her phone had activated by itself while in her pocket.
Job hopes
A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh agreed on Wednesday to remove the disqualification imposed on Watson.
She will have to pass an extended test before she can start driving again.
Lord Summers said approximately 75% of the ban has expired and the move would allow Watson, 44, to contribute to society by resuming employment.
Defence solicitor advocate Gordon Martin said his client was released from prison in 2017 and “has not subsequently come to the attention of the authorities.”
He said the former dental technician had lost her job when she was jailed and has not been able to find work since her release from custody.
She lives in Auchtermuchty and there is limited public transport but Mr Martin said his client hopes being able to drive would assist in obtaining work.
Mr Martin said she has undertaken courses and volunteered to help with a charity.
Denied using phone
The Crown did not oppose the petition brought by mother-of-two Watson seeking removal of the disqualification.
Watson was found guilty of causing the death of experienced cyclist Mr Speed, from Glenrothes, on September 5 2013 on the A91 in Fife, by driving a car dangerously while using a phone and colliding with the bike rider.
The trial judge, Lord Kinclaven, told Watson driving while using a mobile phone has the capacity to wreck lives.
He said: “The fact an offender is avoidably distracted by the use of a mobile phone when committing an offence of this sort will always make an offence more serious.”
The High Court in Glasgow heard the impact on Mr Speed was such that his helmet shattered when he hit the ground after his body hit the Vauxhall Corsa’s windscreen.
Watson claimed the phone must have activated in her pocket, despite the handset having a keyboard lock.
Detectives later got her records from T-Mobile which proved beyond doubt she was making on the call when she struck Mr Speed.
‘Ripped lives apart’
Mr Speed, 49, was a member of Fife Century Road Club and had been on a regular training run on the A91 between Strathmiglo and Gateside at the time.
His funeral was attended by around 500 people, many from the cycling community wearing their club colours.
His partner at the time, Susan Steele, said in an interview shortly afterwards: “This has not just left Ali’s family without him, it’s robbed her two children of their mother.
“I hope people will see this and realise if they have to make a phone call they should pull over.
“Two minutes on your journey makes very little difference.
“What happened that day ripped so many people’s lives apart.”
His sister, Mhairi Laffoley, said the effect on her family had been “horrendous” and revealed their parents had both died within 12 weeks of the accident.
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