A speeding driver who knocked down and killed a 71 year old man in Glasgow has just been jailed for four years.
Causing Death By Dangerous Driving
On 20 February 2014, Sandeep Singh was driving his BMW at 50 mph in a 30 mph zone. While driving at this speed he hit old age pensioner Billy Dunlop. Owing to the accident Mr Dunlop died after suffering injuries to his hair, arms, legs and pelvis.
Singh, who is 29 was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow following his conviction of causing death by dangerous driving. It is interesting note that he had already completed a driving ban in 2013. Owing to this new conviction he was also banned for 10 years from driving.
The Judge in the case, Lady Rae told Singh that he had “scant regard” for road traffic laws owing to his precious driving convictions. These convictions included speeding and using a mobile phone whilst driving.
“I find it incomprehensible that during the journey – up to the fatal impact – at no time did you see Mr Dunlop. You ought to have seen Mr Dunlop and taken evasive action.”
Lady Rae, Sentencing Judge
At an earlier court hearing at the High Court in Livingston the court heard that Mr Dunlop had been crossing a dual carriageway on his way back from a pub, merely a short distance away from a pedestrian crossing.
The Prosecution Case
The Jury in the case had been shown CCTV footage of the accident taking place and Singh’s BMW ploughing into Mr Dunlop.
In presenting the prosecution’s case, the court heard from a Police Collision Expert who stated that Singh’s brake lights had come on just half a second before the BMW hit Mr Dunlop.
Before the case was fully heard, Singh had offered the prosecution a guilty plea to the lesser charge of causing death by carless driving. This was rejected.
Singh’s Evidence
When giving evidence Singh, who had been driving home from his family’s restaurant in the Paisley area stated that Mr Dunlop “came out of nowhere”.
Further stating that he did not realise that he was travelling so much over the speed limit he said “I had no time to react. It was like a split second and it’s changed my life.”
The Verdict
The Jury did not believe Singh and after all the evidence was heard they returned a verdict of guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
It was only after the verdict that the Jury heard that between 2009 and 2011 Singh had been prosecuted for speeding on a motorway, failing to display a valid tax disc, running a red light and twice for using his mobile phone whilst driving.
We should state that Singh was not represented by this practice.
