A college lecturer who killed his partner after spinning out of control in a new car he had bought just a few hours earlier has been fined.
Freelance artist Gregory Edgar, 33, died after the head-on crash caused by Steven Martin, 33.
Martin had been banned from driving after he admitting causing death by driving carelessly and at excessive speed on the A926 New Alyth to Blairgowrie road in snowy conditions on January 19 last year.
At Perth Sheriff Court yesterday Martin, of Falcon Path, Glenrothes, was fined £2,400.
Fiscal depute David Barclay previously told Perth Sheriff Court that Mr Edgar, who was born in Irvine, Ayrshire, was a front-seat passenger in a Skoda Fabia driven by his partner Martin, which had been bought that day.
Stephen McCord and his wife Yvonne were travelling in a Ford Ranger in the opposite direction.
Mr Barclay said: “As the Skoda negotiated a right-hand bend, it was driving too fast for the conditions and the accused lost control.
“It is not suggested that the accused was travelling in excess of the speed limit but merely that he had failed to adjust his speed to account for the road condition.
“The accused appears to have over-corrected, resulting in his car crossing the carriageway, spinning clockwise and striking the oncoming Ford Ranger nearside first.
“The driver of the Ford Ranger had anticipated the collision but the only evasive action available was to brake. He was either travelling very slowly or stationary at the point of impact.”
The McCords were able to get out of their vehicle, having sustained a number of injuries.
“Gregory Edgar was drifting in and out of consciousness, bleeding and obviously seriously injured,” Mr Barclay added.
“He was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. He had a severe brain injury which he was unlikely to survive.”
Mr Edgar died on January 24, having undergone organ donation hours earlier.
Mr Barclay said: “It is understood that the accused was off work for a lengthy period following this incident and that the loss of his partner has affected him greatly.
“He did not think he was travelling too fast and mentioned that other vehicles had overtaken him during his journey.
“As for the actual collision, he thought he had lost control on a left-hand bend.”
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