A man accused of killing a Boddam cyclist due to driving carelessly has been found not guilty by a jury in Peterhead.
Christopher Morrison, 41, wept with relief as the verdict was read out, which was reached by a majority of the 14-person jury made up of 11 women and 3 men.
Robert Cowie had been cycling southbound on the A90 Peterhead to Aberdeen road near the turn-off to Stirlinghill Quarry when the tragedy occurred on December 2 2022.
The 52-year-old was struck by Mr Morrison’s VW Crafter van and fell into the path of another car, resulting in his death.
Sheriff Philip Mann, after telling Mr Morrison to leave the dock, commended the jurors for their time and said: “I should, on behalf of the court, send our extreme condolences to Mr Cowie’s family for his sudden and untimely death.”
Outside Peterhead Sheriff Court Mr Mossison said he was “grateful to the jurors” for their decision.
Fiscal depute Neil MacDonald had urged the jury to convict Morrison following the three-day trial, telling them there had been “no dispute” that Mr Morrison had collided with Mr Cowie and his bicycle.
“What needs to be decided if he was driving with due care and attention or below the standard of a careful and competent driver,” he said.
Mr MacDonald suggested that Morrison had failed to make proper observations of the other road users and said the low winter sun could not have been a “surprise” and he should have reacted to Mr Cowie in time.
Morrison’s defence agent David Nicolson reminded the jurors that witnesses had said the sun on December 2 2022 had been “blinding” and that it was not a “simple” case of other cars passing Mr Cowie safely and his client had not.
“Tragically, he did not see him,” Mr Nicolson added.
Mr Cowie, who lived with his mother on Boddam’s Rocksley Drive, was described as a well-liked local who was Boddam born and bred.
At the time of the incident, one resident described the death of Mr Cowie as “tragic” and “very sad news for the village.”
On leaving court Morrison, of Hilton Drive in Aberdeen said: “I’m just grateful for the jury’s decision.”
