Hummer driver is convicted of killing Inverness woman

he gets 10 years in jail after being cleared of premeditated murder

By neil macphail

Published:

SENTENCE CRITICISED: Jeff Wood with his late wife Kate

The driver of an off-road vehicle that mounted a pavement and killed an Inverness woman in Dubai has been cleared of premeditated murder.

The 22-year-old Emirati businessman was convicted instead of killing Kate Wood, 52, in a fit of anger.

The man, identified only as AA in court, was jailed for 10 years. He had faced a possible life sentence.

The road-rage driver turned on to the pavement and his Hummer struck Mrs Wood, who was out with her husband, Jeff, 54, and another couple celebrating his birthday.

AA then reversed the white military-style vehicle over her before speeding off.

The Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance, in its summary verdict, ruled out any element of premeditation in the defendant’s actions.

A journalist who was in court said: “The court essentially found nothing to support premeditation, and that is the main reason for a 10-year sentence instead of life in prison.

“The judge said that the defendant was in an angered state when he committed the crime, and that premeditation requires a person to be calm and calculating, which the defendant was not.

“The court also took the defendant’s youth into account in passing a more lenient sentence.”

Mr and Mrs Wood’s group had just arrived at the Aviation Club in Garhoud on the evening of May 30 and were getting out of a taxi when the driver of the Hummer behind them became angry at being kept waiting and got involved in an argument with one of them.

Mr Wood said after the hearing: “It is a very disappointing ruling. I was hoping for a harsher penalty. Kate was a young woman and she leaves grandchildren behind.”

He would not say whether he would take action in the civil court.

During a trip home to Inverness earlier this year, Mr Wood said he and his wife had been out with friends Danielle and Brendan Hunter.

“Kate loved to dance and we were heading to this other place where there was music,” he said.

“The taxi driver pulled up on the left and Brendan, myself and Kate got out and were waiting on the pavement while Danielle was paying the taxi driver.

“I heard Brendan shout something like ‘Watch out’ and the Hummer sent me flying about 6ft.

“Brendan was knocked against the fence, but the Hummer went right over Kate.

“Then, to my disbelief, the driver reversed and went forward over her again.”

Mr Wood, who said he had been married to Kate for 33 “precious years”, added: “It was just unbelievable impatience and such a waste of a lovely woman’s life. Kate was only a little woman and didn’t stand a chance.”

Mr Wood moved to Dubai almost three years ago after working in the rig repair industry in Easter Ross and is now project manager there with British rig repair company Lamprell.

His wife joined him two years ago with the youngest of their three sons, Callum, 15. Their other sons are Colin, 31, a chef, of Lilac Grove, Inverness, and Michael, 29, a fitter, of Hazel Avenue, Culloden.

Mrs Wood had worked in Inverness at Arnotts and the Early Learning Centre.

Her parents, James and Diane Smith, live in sheltered accommodation in the city.