A BRECHIN MAN whose careless driving caused the death of a young Mearns woman escaped with a fine yesterday.

Michael James Taylor (21), of Caldhame Gardens, was fined £500 and had six penalty points imposed on his driving licence at Arbroath Sheriff Court.

He admitted his careless driving caused an accident in which the young woman from Johnshaven, a rear-seat passenger, sustained fatal injuries.

Taylor appeared before Sheriff W. Gilchrist and admitted that on August 13 last year, on the A933 Brechin to Arbroath road near the junction with the Cloak Cottage service road, he drove carelessly and lost control of his Renault Clio, causing it to leave the road, mount a grass verge and continue into woodland where it collided with trees and overturned before coming to rest on its roof.

The charge stated the car was damaged, Taylor and front-seat passenger George Paul Mair were injured and 20-year-old Kayleigh Pearce, of Waughton Place, was so severely injured she died.

Taylor also admitted that, at the time of the accident, he was using the car when the tread pattern on the rear nearside tyre was below the legal minimum.

Depute fiscal Hazel Anderson told the court the accident happened shortly after 6pm when visibility was good and the road surface was wet following showers.

Using a sketch map and photographs of the scene, and referring to a report by police investigators, Mrs Anderson said that around the point where Taylor’s car went out of control the road surface changed from “good” to “worn,” with granite chips and areas of exposed tar which had become polished with wear.

She said statements from Mr Mair and Taylor himself suggested the car had negotiated a bend at around the legal speed limit but, on crossing on the worn road surface, the rear end swung out.

In response to this, she said, Taylor appeared to have attempted to correct the skid by counter-steering but this was overdone, resulting in the car leaving the road and crashing into the trees.

Police officers who inspected the car found it had been modified to the extent that three of its tyres were “scuffing” against the bodywork.

The fourth had been worn below the minimum tread level by the scuffing and also by being run at below the proper pressure for a prolonged period.

Mrs Anderson said the accident investigators found the accident resulted from a combination of the bald tyre, the sudden change in road conditions in the wet and Taylor over-compensating as he attempted to control the skid.

Defence agent Keith Sym said his client would have to live the rest of his life knowing his actions had resulted in the death of a friend and it was a matter of “massive regret” for him.

Mr Sym said Taylor knew one of his tyres was defective and had intended to have it replaced but, at the time of the accident, had not had the money to do so.

Taylor, he said, was familiar with the road and was not a “boy racer” and, knowing Miss Pearce had previously been involved in a road accident and was a nervous passenger, felt he had been driving in a responsible manner and at an appropriate speed for the conditions.

Mr Sym said, despite the tragic consequences, the degree of carelessness demonstrated was not at the higher end of the scale and asked the sheriff to note that at no time had the Crown considered charging Taylor with a more serious offence.

He observed charges were brought only after investigating officers had discounted the likelihood of the accident having been caused by a blow-out.

Fining Taylor £250 on each charge, and imposing six penalty points in respect of the careless driving offence, Sheriff Gilchrist told him, “This was a very serious accident which has had horrendous consequences for Miss Pearce and her family.

“You will have to live with the consequences of your actions for the rest of your life and there is nothing I can do to undo these consequences.

“As this is a charge of careless driving, the sentence must reflect that, and it is not alleged that you exceeded the speed limit.

“It would appear that a combination of your speed on the bend, the change in the road surface and the faulty tyre led to this happening.”

Sheriff Gilchrist also took the unusual step of addressing Miss Pearce’s family, some of whom were in court, saying, “I offer you my condolences and I know that my sentence will not provide you with any comfort in your loss.”