A drink driver who killed a young island vet in a horror head-on collision is facing a lengthy jail sentence.
Thomas Wainwright drank cider and whisky for several hours before ploughing his high-powered Maserati into Theresa Wade’s Berlingo van as she drove home from work.
Wainwright, 27, was on the wrong side of the road and travelling at speeds of up to 95mph in the hire car, which had a black box fitted, just minutes before the crash on Mull.
During his trial at the High Court in Glasgow, he and his passenger tried to blame Miss Wade, 29, for the accident.
But yesterday, he was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving. As the unanimous guilty verdict was announced members of Theresa’s family shouted: “Yes.”
Outside court, Miss Wade’s partner of 10 years Charles Pease said “Thomas Wainwright will have to live with what he did.
“All Theresa wanted to be was the island vet. People loved her.
“The unanimous verdict delivered today has vindicated Theresa quite clearly, and her reputation remains unsullied.
“The verdict has not brought Theresa back, but our faith in justice has not been misplaced.”
“My reaction is one of great relief that justice is seen to be done.
“The principle that 15 people reached a unanimous conclusion that the defence is guilty as charged, is that they have vindicated Theresa who the defence had taken some trouble to denigrate by saying she was responsible for her own death.
“We were deeply distressed they could even think to do that. But at the end of the day after 17 months Theresa’s family have finally found some peace.
“Theresa I hope would rest easy knowing that and knowing we in turn have done our bit for her in standing firm over 17 months to see justice being done.”
Prosecutor Tim Niven-Smith revealed that Wainwright, who worked as the first officer on the £6.26m yacht MY Mahogany based in the south of France, has a previous conviction for drinking while unfit through drink or drugs.
At a court in Nice he was fined 700 euros and given a suspended sentence.
Witnesses from Mull told of how Wainwright, who was drinking with his mother’s partner 42-year-old Jerome Lopez, consumed five 500ml bottles of Magners cider in the Mishnish Hotel, a pint of cider in the Macgochan’s pub, two whiskies in the distillery, all Tobermory, and another two pints of cider in the Craignure Inn, Craignure.
Wainwright got behind the wheel claiming he “had a clear head” and felt fine to drive.
Less than three miles from Craignure as he headed towards Tobermory on the wrong side of the road his hire car smashed into the Berlingo van driven by Miss Wade.
She died at the scene trapped in her van on October 28, 2015 on the A849 road near to Craignure, Mull.
Judge John Morris remanded Wainwright in custody and banned him from driving.