A drink-driver who killed a “much-loved” Moray great-grandmother in a horrific crash was jailed for four years today.
Shaun Munro ploughed into Katrina Smith’s car after going onto the wrong side of the road at the A96 Brodie to Forres route in Moray.
A judge told him: “You pled guilty to the very serious offence of causing the death of Katrina Smith by driving dangerously and whilst under the influence of alcohol.”
Lord Matthews said: “She was a much-loved mother, grandmother and great grandmother who was very active.”
The judge said at the High Court in Edinburgh that no sentence he could pass could make up for her loss.
Lord Matthews said: “You were yourself seriously injured, albeit entirely through your own fault, and have attempted suicide because of what you did.”
Munro earlier admitted causing the death of the 76-year-old victim by driving dangerously on April 28 in 2019 and while unfit having consumed alcohol.
He failed to maintain observations, failed to keep control of his vehicle and failed to negotiate a bend in the road and went on to the wrong side of the road and failed to take action to avoid a collision.
The victim, from Burghead, in Moray, was on her way to a car boot sale when she lost her life in the crash.
Advocate depute Owen Mullan said witnesses saw the Isuzu being driven by Munro gradually drift from the eastbound lane and cross the centre line into the opposing carriageway before colliding head on with the Peugeot driven by the victim.
The prosecutor said it was apparent that Mrs Smith had suffered “catastrophic injuries” in the collision.
Munro suffered leg injuries in the crash and was flown to hospital.
He said he had no recollection of the incident and was found to have 97 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. The legal limit is 50 mg.
‘He has no memory of the accident’
Defence counsel Ronnie Renucci QC said: “This is a tragic case all round and I say that whilst recognising that the only true victim is Mrs Smith and the impact that has had on her family.”
He said Munro was “truly sorry” for his actions and added: “He has found living with the knowledge that his actions have taken the life of another almost unbearable of occasion.”
Mr Renucci said Munro had made a genuine attempt to take his own life and was hospitalised as a result.
“He has no memory of the accident and he has no memory of the events leading up to it,” he told the court.
The defence counsel said Munro accepted that a jail sentence was “inevitable” but added that he was assessed as posing a low risk of harm to others in future.
Mr Renucci said Munro had been in full-time employment up until the collision but was now unable to work because of the injuries he sustained.
He said that Munro, who appeared in the dock using a pair of crutches, was drinking the night before the morning crash.
Munro was banned from driving for seven years.
A devoted fundraiser
Mrs Smith was well known as a lifelong member of Brownie and Girl Guide groups in Lossiemouth as an organiser and fundraiser.
The 76-year-old also ran the Moray depot for Girl Guides in Burghead and was involved in the quilters group that meets at Roseisle Village Hall.
Friends paid tribute to her dedication to running fundraising events and camps for the groups following her death, with many leaving online messages sharing memories of the devoted fundraiser.
In a statement, her family said: “We are devastated at the loss of our much loved mam, granny and great-granny.”
