By Paul Reoch

A CAMPAIGNER for the victims of road accidents has slammed the early home leave granted to a young Perthshire motorist whose dangerous driving led to the death of five people.

Margaret Dekker, researcher and secretary of Supporting Victims of Road Crashes (SCID), last night told The Courier that she has written to justice minister Kenny MacAskill concerning the sentence of Ewan Macpherson (22), who was granted time to visit his parents in Abbey Park, Auchterarder.

She said that she feels offenders are being “rewarded” for their crimes and that the general public are losing faith in the justice system.

Severe criticism was meted out after it was discovered that Macpherson had used part of his home leave to enjoy a game of golf at Gleneagles.

He had been sentenced to three years and four months at the High Court in Edinburgh, on May 29, after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.

He had been driving on the A85 Perth to Crieff road on January 27 last year when he pulled out to overtake on a blind summit and hit a car coming the other way.

Donna Miller and Tanya Webster—Macpherson’s girlfriend—both 19 and from Crieff, were both passengers in Macpherson’s car and died instantly. The occupants of the oncoming vehicle, William Melville (67), his wife Alison (60) and their son William (33) also died.

Macpherson suffered a broken arm and severe burns to his legs and police had to wait until May last year to question him.

He was spared a longer sentence at the High Court in Edinburgh when Mrs Tamara Webster, mother of Tanya, submitted a letter to the court stressing that Macpherson was not a “maniac” but someone who had made a “terrible mistake.”

However, family friends of the Melvilles were incensed to learn Macpherson had been allowed home leave to play golf, with one woman calling it “appalling.”

And this view has been backed up by campaigner Ms Dekker who last night said offenders appeared to be receiving preferential treatment from Scotland’s justice system.

“I have asked the justice minister Kenny MacAskill if it is appropriate for home leave to be granted at this early stage of Macpherson’s custodial sentence,” she said.

“Much is being done by the police to raise awareness that young drivers need to be aware of their actions.

“Before sentencing Macpherson, Lord Brailsford took account of all the circumstances which caused the five fatalities including an early guilty plea.

“I can’t begin to imagine the emotions of the remainder of the bereaved Melville family and their feelings about the criminal justice system.

“From SCID’s point of view, it appears that offenders continue to be rewarded for their crime, which sends out the wrong message to irresponsible drivers, particularly young motorists.

“The Scottish Government’s sentencing guidelines are presently out for consultation.

“But consistency in sentencing is futile, if, after sentencing, offenders continue to be treated as in the Macpherson case.

“Law-abiding citizens become estranged from the process of law and can have no confidence or respect for it.”

And Ms Dekker also highlighted the apparent dangers of young drivers on the road.

“Statistics show that young drivers are at the greatest risk of road crashes,” she added.

“Unfortunately, that includes crashes which result in death or serious injury.

“Research shows that 17 to 25-year-olds are particularly vulnerable. Between 20% and 30% of all crashes involve young male drivers.”

Macpherson, whose actions were described by Peter Gray QC, defending, as a “fatal error of judgement,” was also banned from driving for 10 years and ordered to re-sit his driving test if he wants to drive again.