The family of a Montrose woman killed by a dangerous driver has hit out at sentencing guidelines which saw more than a year cut from his prison sentence.
Arran McPherson, 22, lost control of his car and struck and killed dog-walker Dolores Humphries – known as Saint Doe – on December 11 2021.
He had earlier pled guilty to causing the death of the 61-year-old much-loved grandmother by dangerous driving.
At the High Court in Glasgow, Lord Beckett locked up McPherson for three years and 10 months.
The sentence was reduced from five years due to his age and guilty plea.
Sentencing guidelines suggest those under the age of 25 are given shorter prison terms.
The joiner was further banned from the road for five years and nine months.
The judge said the tragedy has had a “dreadful and lasting impact” on Mrs Humphries family, who described her as a “kind, funny, beautiful person”.
A number of her emotional relatives were in court for the sentencing hearing.
Lord Beckett said: “Without warning, they have lost her forever.”
He added: “There is no sentence that I can pass that that matches the grief and trauma caused.”
‘Saint Doe’
Mrs Humphries had held two jobs – working in a Citizens Advice Bureau and for Care About Angus, helping look after elderly and vulnerable people in the area.
A family statement released afterwards through Digby Brown Solicitors said: “The pain our family has endured since the loss of Doe has been immeasurable.
“We entered the court today trying to be free of expectations other than the belief that a fair sentence would not just reflect our trauma but recognise the value of Dolores in terms of the good person she was and how she enhanced the lives of those around her.
“Sadly though we feel let down by today’s sentence – it falls drastically short of what we feel is reasonable, it undermines our pain, it undervalues Dolores and only strengthens the debate around the recent consultation on death by driving sentencing guidelines.
“We wish to thank those who have supported us but we now request our privacy is respected as we take time to process everything that has happened and find a way for our family to look to the future in the positive way Doe would have wanted.”
Lost control on bend
The earlier hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh was told McPherson, also of Montrose, had been driving his Honda Civic at 50mph in a 30mph zone.
He had been on a “long sweeping bend” when he lost control.
Mrs Humphries had been walking her dog from home when the tragedy happened.
Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC said: “The car mounted the pavement and went onto the grass verge.
“McPherson sought to correct his course and steered, causing the vehicle to rotate in the other direction.
“As the car crossed the grass verge and went back over the pavement, it hit Mrs Humphries causing her to be thrown a considerable distance.”
The Honda ended up back on the road and struck a kerb before overturning.
McPherson was joined by witnesses in trying to help Mrs Humphries but she did not recover from “multiple injuries”.
There is much more local court content at our dedicated page here, or join our Courts Facebook page.
