Forgive you? Never

A GRIEVING Oldham mum yesterday rejected an apology from a boozed up driver who knocked back tequila before hitting her son on a lonely country road.

Sitting in Edinburgh High Court, Betty Bullock, 58, of Wildmoor Avenue, Holts, learned that fisherman Steven Duthie - who has never even sat a driving test - has previous convictions for drink driving, dangerous driving and taking cars.

Duthie (32), of Fraserburgh, was originally accused of murdering her son, Richard Jones. But by the time the case came to trial the charge was one of causing Mr Jones’ death last May by driving dangerously.

His offer to admit a lesser charge of careless driving was rejected and a jury found him guilty of the more serious charge.

He was also convicted of driving without a licence and without insurance, jailed for six years and banned from driving for ten.

Mrs Bullock had heard Duthie’s lawyer offer an apology on his behalf for the death of her 22-year-old son and describe Duthie as a man “plagued by guilt”.

But as she left the court she said: “To me, he showed no remorse. I’m sorry, I won’t accept his apology.”

Mrs Bullock said the six year sentence would leave Duthie free to get on with his life after four years.

“It’s not enough,” she said.

She described her son as “a party animal” who loved his job and his family.

The jury heard Duthie had gone straight to a bar after his boat docked, then to a party.

He realised he had lost his mobile phone and asked 38-year-old fisherman William Stephen to give him a lift back to Fraserburgh.

Mr Jones also got into the car but Mr Jones and Duthie began arguing and Mr Jones was put out of the car.

Mr Jones - standing in the middle of the road - threw a stone at the vehicle, the trial heard.

Mr Stephen braked and left the car to chase Mr Jones. Duthie climbed into the driver’s seat and began moving towards Mr Jones, who went across the road waving his hands.

Mr Stephen said: “I was screaming at him to get off the road. Then, the next thing I knew, the car struck him.”

He also said the car had swerved to try to avoid hitting Mr Jones.

Boat painter, Mr Jones of Castle Street, Fraserburgh, died in hospital a week later.

Jailing Duthie, judge Lord Woolman described Mr Jones as “a young man who stood at the door of his adult life” and said his untimely death was a great tragedy.

The judge said: “When you put yourself behind the wheel of William Stephen’s car you posed a substantial risk of danger to other road users.

“I also note in a letter passed to me you say you keep reliving the disaster and if you could turn back the clock then you would never have driven the car.”