A motorist who admitted causing a horror crash which killed a Moray youth worker has avoided a jail sentence.
Angela Spalding, from Newmill, died on March 3 last year when her Audi TT was shunted from behind on the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road.
Erynn Buchan, a support worker from Huntly, previously pleaded guilty to causing the fatal accident by failing to pay proper attention to the road.
Yesterday at Elgin Sheriff Court, Sheriff Gary Aitken ordered her to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and banned her from driving for 12 months.
Following yesterday’s court case, Mrs Spalding’s husband, Darren Spalding, said: “We feel it (the sentence) is a bit lenient, to be perfectly honest. But we know it was an accident and that is that.
“She does not deserve jail but they could have imposed a longer ban – the full 18 months would have been more suitable.
“What happened has ruined our lives. My daughter was in the car at the time – it has just destroyed us.”
Both cars were travelling north on the busy trunk route near Keith at the Muir of Forgie junction when Mrs Spalding’s car slowed due to turning traffic.
Fiscal David Barclay previously told the court heard that Buchan had failed to notice the hazard up ahead and drove her Vauxhall Astra into the rear of the vehicle.
He said investigations could not rule out that the 36-year-old may have been distracted through a combination of low sun and a man at the side of the road gesturing for her to slow down.
Mrs Spalding, 44, was a regular visitor to Elgin High School and Forres Academy in her role as a life coach with charity Quarriers.
Books of condolence were opened following the accident in order for students to be able to pay tribute to the popular worker.
Mr Barclay said an off-duty doctor had attempted to perform CPR at the side of the road after recognising her condition was “critical”.
In delivering his sentence yesterday, Sheriff Gary Aitken described what had happened as a “desperately sad case” in which Buchan has taken full responsibility and expressed “genuine” regret and remorse.
Sheriff Aitken said that, had Buchan been facing a charge of causing death by dangerous – as opposed to careless – driving, the disposal may well have been a custodial one.
Buchan’s defence agent Shahid Latif said that what happened has “gravely impacted” on his client and stressed that external factors had contributed to her driving error during his plea in mitigation.
