Rory Nimmo, 26, and John Clark, 43, were going at “grossly excessive speeds” as they raced each other ahead of a crash in Ayr which tragically killed Shona McKinlay
Two drivers were racing each other at speeds of 111mph before a horrific crash which killed a much-loved mum, a court heard.
Rory Nimmo, 26, and John Clark, 43, where both driving on the A70 near Ayr in the early-hours of October 28, 2022. Nimmo was behind the wheel of his souped-up Audi TT when he lost control and smashed into a Renault Kangoo van driven by Shona McKinlay.
The 46 year-old, of Dreghorn, North Ayrshire, tragically never survived the smash. Nimmo and Clark each denied a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. And trucker Clark even claimed he had been the victim of “mistaken identity” and had not been involved in the collision.
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But, the duo were today found guilty following the trial at the High Court in Glasgow. They were remanded in custody and face a lengthy jail-term when they are sentenced in the New Year. Prosecutors said Nimmo and Clark did “engage in a race each other” around 6am that morning and were going at “grossly excessive speeds” which were estimated to be at 111mph at one stage.
Nimmo’s Audi was described as “extensively modified” but was said to have tyres below the legal minimum tread. Clark meanwhile was driving a Ford Focus. Nimmo overtook Clark when it was unsafe to do so and ended up on the wrong side of the road.
Clark was said to have gone faster in a bid to stop him carrying out the manoeuvre. The reckless pair then took a bend at speed before Nimmo suddenly applied his brakes and lost control of his motor. He then tragically collided with Miss McKinlay’s van on the opposite side of the road. The much-loved mum was left so badly hurt that she did not survive.
In his evidence, Nimmo, of Cumnock, Ayrshire, denied racing anyone or having been “desperate” to get past the Ford Focus. Clark, of Drongan, Ayrshire, accepted in his testimony that he had been on that stretch of road on his way to work that morning – but claimed it was at a different time to the crash.
He was traced more than a week after the incident. His lawyer Derek Pettigrew put to him: “How do you feel about the suggestion that you helped cause this accident?” He replied: “Horrible.”
Clark added someone would need to be “pretty low” to drive off from the scene of a crash and that it would be “suicidal” to go at such speeds. He later told prosecutor Tracey Brown that the first he heard about the fatality was on social media. And, denying his guilt, Clark insisted: “I think it is a case of mistaken identity.”
In her closing speech, Miss Brown said Miss McKinlay died following a “catastrophic loss of control” by Nimmo. She said: “The Crown case is that this was no slight misjudgement.” The advocate depute stated Clark was also guilty of the charge for his role in what occurred. The pair’s legal team had asked for each to remain on bail pending sentencing.
But, Judge Douglas Brown said: “Given the inevitability of a custodial sentence, you will be remanded in custody.” Reports of the incident at the time revealed how the road had been closed off for 11 hours as police investigated. A number of tributes to Miss McKinlay were made on social media, reported the Daily Record. She was described in one as a “beautiful and amazing person both inside and out”.
