A careless van driver killed a biker by moving into the path of his oncoming motorcycle, throwing the rider over the vehicle’s roof.
The impact left Paul Fairbairn lying fatally injured on the A941 Elgin to Rothes road at Fogwatt on June 8 2021.
After being rushed to Dr Gray’s Hospital, the 44-year-old father of two was pronounced dead a short time later.
Gary Lowe, 56, who had been driving the Citroen Berlingo southbound at the time of the crash, has now admitted to causing death by careless driving.
He appeared in the dock at Inverness Sheriff Court, which heard that both men were experienced motorcyclist enthusiasts.
‘Projected over the handlebars, passing over the roof’
On the day of the daylight collision, Mr Fairbairn was travelling in the opposite direction to Lowe, Sheriff Sara Matheson was told.
He was on his Suzuki bike being followed by another car and Lowe and Mr Fairbairn were both within the 60mph speed limit, fiscal depute Niall Macdonald said.
“The accused signalled his intention to turn right into a junction. A witness anticipated that the accused and she would wait for those vehicles to pass before turning.”
The court heard that Mr Fairbairn’s position on the road meant he should have been easily seen but Lowe turned into his path.
“An eyewitness saw Mr Fairbairn pass over the van before landing between the verge and the middle of the road,” Mr Macdonald told the court.
“Mr Fairbairn had attempted to stop his motorcycle using emergency braking.
“The front collided with the corner of the van, causing Paul Fairbairn to be projected over the handlebars, striking the nearside of the van, windscreen, and passing over the roof.”
Mr Macdonald added that Mr Fairbairn, a carpenter, was taken by ambulance to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin, where he underwent life-saving procedures.
But he died a short time after the collision from brain injuries and multiple fractures.
“The accused approached a police officer at the scene and stated that he did not know what happened and that he had not seen the motorcycle and he did not know why.”
‘Dependable rock of a man’
Following Mr Fairbairn’s tragic death, his brother Daniel paid tribute to the “stoic, witty dependable rock of a man”.
On Twitter, he posted: “He introduced me to my wife and put up with me eating his sweets when we were kids.
“He was fearless, loyal, thoughtful and kind.”
No easy way to say this. Around midday I found out my little brother had been killed whilst riding his motorbike into town. He was 44, father of two and a stoic, witty dependable rock of a man. He introduced me to my wife and put up with me eating his sweets-
— Daniel M Fairbairn💙🏳️🌈#PrideMonth (He,Him) (@D_M_Fairbairn) June 8, 2021
Several other tributes were paid by members of different motorcycle clubs around Scotland, including Inverness-based Born To Lose MCC and Hillbillies MCC from Ayrshire.
Flowers were also left at the crash scene in Fogwatt by well-wishers and fellow bikers draped a T-shirt over a post.
Lowe, of Moss of Barmuckity in Elgin, will be sentenced on May 19, following the production of a background report.
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