Drug driver who killed mother-of-four jailed

A man who killed a mother-of-four after driving on the wrong side of the road while he was under the influence of cocaine has been jailed for four years.

Margaret Sutherland died at the scene after suffering head, chest, pelvis and bone injuries after her car was struck by Jamie Little's vehicle on the A9 at Torepark in Easter Ross in April 2024.

Sentencing Little, 41, at the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord Summers also banned him from driving for seven years.

Little, from Alness, had earlier admitted causing the 59-year-old carer's death by driving dangerously, while the proportions of cocaine and Benzolecgonine in his blood were above specified limits.

The court was told Little failed to make proper observations of the road ahead, drove onto the opposing carriageway, failed to take evasive action despite oncoming traffic and caused the fatal collision.

The court also heard that Little, who has a previous conviction for dangerous driving, was working as a service engineer travelling around hydro sites carrying out maintenance and repairs.

Prior to the crash, his vehicle swerved onto the wrong side of the road before colliding with Margaret Sutherland's Mini Cooper.

Both vehicles sustained serious damage in the collision with the bonnet of the Mini crushed backwards, shattering the windscreen.

Other drivers and passengers went to Margaret Sutherland's car to help.

Lord Summers said: "I acknowledge that you are remorseful, but I also acknowledge that no sentence I can pass will mitigate the loss of Mrs Sutherland's family."

"You were driving in the wrong lane and into the path of the deceased's oncoming vehicle and, perhaps more pertinently, you were under the influence of Class A drugs."