By Ralph Barnett

THE MOTHER of a young Arbroath woman who died when the car in which she was a passenger was involved in an accident just over a year ago has welcomed a decision by Court of Appeal judges to double the driver’s sentence.

Gareth Southwick (25), of Lauder Road, Arbroath, was jailed for two years and banned from driving for four years in April when he admitted dangerous driving resulting in the death of 19-year-old Clara Marnie, also of Arbroath.

Scotland’s most senior judge, the Lord Justice General Lord Cullen, heard the Crown appeal on with Lady Cosgrove and Lord Emslie and ruled that the original prison sentence was “unduly lenient.”

He yesterday ordered the original sentence from Lord Kinclaven be set aside and for the period of custody to instead be one of four years.

Clara’s mother Allison, who at the time of Southwick’s sentencing said “two years isn’t long enough”, said she was satisfied the Court of Appeal had imposed a longer period.

She said, “As far as we are concerned this is now over and done with and nothing that can be said or done can bring Clara back. It really makes no difference to us whether he is in jail for two or four years but I am glad that the courts have now recognised the original sentence was too lenient.”

Southwick admitted driving dangerously while over the drink limit, resulting in the death of his passenger on October 3 last year. He was travelling at excessive speed when his vehicle left the road and hit a fence and electricity pole before crashing through a ditch and ending up in a burn.

Miss Marnie, a former Arbroath High School pupil who had played basketball for Scotland, sustained multiple injuries and was killed instantaneously.

She was found in the car after the emergency services were called to the scene.

Southwick’s car was travelling at between 52 and 63 mph in the village of St Vigean’s, where the speed limit is 30 mph.

Southwick, who suffered pelvic and back injuries, left the scene and was traced later, when he admitted being the driver of the car.

It was estimated that he was around one-and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit after having been at a nightclub in Arbroath.

Lord Kinclaven had told Southwick, “I take into account your good character and the fact you feel genuine remorse and have been devastated and traumatised by this accident.”

Lord Cullen said yesterday, “Parliament has made it clear that offences (of this kind) may attract substantial custodial sentences.”

He pointed out that the maximum penalty for such an offences has gone up from 10 years to 14 years’ imprisonment.

The appeal judges said an appropriate starting point for Southwick’s crime would have been five years in jail and that a discount of one year should be given for his guilty plea.