The mother of an Angus drink-drive killer has accused his victims’ daughter of being “spiteful” and “vindictive” about his bid to appeal a nine-year sentence.
Speaking publicly for the first time, Alistair Ferrier’s mother Jaki claimed Shiona Cruickshanks was pursuing a “personal vendetta for vengeance” in the wake of the crash that killed her pensioner parents, John and Isobel Gibson.
Mrs Cruickshanks, from Montrose, is starting a petition protesting the appeal lodged by Ferrier against the jail term imposed at the High Court in Edinburgh last year.
Jaki Thompson Ferrier, from Arbroath, told The Courier, “In the beginning I had nothing but sympathy for the Gibson family.
“Now I am shocked at Mrs Shiona Cruickshanks’ sudden change from a grieving daughter into a spiteful, vindictive woman who appears to be trying to use newspapers, the public and the legal system in her personal vendetta for vengeance.”
Ferrier (30), who had already been banned from driving four times, was nearly three times over the legal alcohol limit when he drove into the Gibsons’ car on December 14, 2008.
Mr Gibson (69) and his 68-year-old wife, of Teviot Place, Montrose, died at the scene of the crash on the A92 near Montrose on their way home from country dancing in Arbroath.
Their back-seat passenger Gertie Massie (71), also from Montrose, suffered injuries from which she has still not fully recovered.
Ferrier married his pregnant fiancee Joanne Dye in a ceremony at Perth Prison last week less than six months after he was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh for nine years.
Ferrier is now appealing his sentence with a date for the hearing to be set in due course, a move that Mrs Cruickshanks said “beggars belief.”
Ferrier’s mother said her son “pled guilty to something he has no memory of.”
She added, “This was partly to avoid the stress of Mrs Massie having to go to court. Also to avoid more grief for the Gibson family.’Nightmare'”To a certain extent I understand how Shiona Cruickshanks feels but there are three families suffering because of this nightmare.
“The Gibsons, the Massies and my own family. My own mother was ill at the time of the court hearing. She was devastated and died a week later.
“Alistair has been ripped apart in papers, etc., by people who do not know him or the true facts.
“I’m saying no more on that subject because my family have no choice but (to) leave the legal aspects of this whole thing to the legal system who are better qualified than anyone else to deal with it.”
Mrs Cruickshanks has criticised the Crown Office for the time it took to inform her Ferrier was appealing.
Ms Thompson Ferrier said she would be happy to meet Mrs Cruickshanks any time “to fill in the blanks.”
“There are a few things, not public knowledge, I am sure she would be interested in,” she added.ThanksFerrier’s mother also thanked the people who have “stuck by” her family following the crash. She also hit out at criticism of her son, his wife and the family situation.
“To the people who comment in papers, I ask what kind of people grudge an unborn child being born legitimately,” she said.
“All I can see now is people and papers dragging it all up again for the families who are all innocent of anything.”
Assessors estimated Ferrier was driving at 70-80mph when he hit his victims’ people carrier.
He had to be cut from his car with multiple fractures but discharged himself from hospital after just six weeks.
He was also handed a 15-year driving ban.
Tests showed Ferrier had a blood alcohol reading of 222 mg (the limit is 80mg).
Temporary Judge Edward Bowen QC told the High Court in Edinburgh the accident was a “very bad case of causing death by dangerous driving.”