Nurse who killed dog walker in crash avoids jail

Pamela Kennedy has been disqualified from driving for two years

A nurse who knocked down and killed a man who was walking his dog has been ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.

Pamela Kennedy, 35, struck Martin Cawley, 64, and his pet Zoe with her car as they crossed a road in Glasgow's Wellhouse on 6 February last year.

She claimed that she swerved her red Nissan Micra to avoid hitting Zoe and did not see Mr Cawley. She gave him CPR at the scene and was heard telling him: "You have got to live, this will affect my job if you die."

Kennedy was found guilty of causing Mr Cawley's death by careless driving after a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Tony Kelly ordered that Kennedy, from the city's Millerston area, will be tagged for six months, keeping her indoors between 19:00 and 07:00.

She was also disqualified from driving for two years, placed under supervision for 18 months and ordered to carry out the unpaid work.

The sheriff said the impact statements from Mr Cawley's wife and children gave "heartbreaking" details of a life cut short.

"His wife wrote that there was a future retirement planned which is now lost and she receives treatment to help with her trauma after that night," he said.

"He did not get to see his grandchild who was born one week after his death.

"Each family member wrote about the profound lost and lasting consequences."

Sheriff Kelly said there was nothing the court could do that would reflect the loss suffered.

But he told Kennedy: "The court requires to punish you for the dreadful consequences of that driving to Mr Cawley and his family."

'Awful sight'

The court heard that Mr Cawley was walking Zoe at about 20:30 on 6 February 2023. A 15-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl were also nearby.

Prosecutor Susan Campbell told jurors in her closing speech: "The girl said Zoe was behind Mr Cawley, to his side.

"He started to cross the road and both witnesses said he was almost at the other side when they heard a bang then turned their heads.

"What they saw was the awful sight of Mr Cawley falling to the floor."

The boy phoned an ambulance while the girl went to help the man.

Witness Craig Caldwell stopped his vehicle and saw Kennedy giving Mr Cawley CPR.

Mr Caldwell then heard Kennedy say: "Don't do this to me, you have got to live, this will affect my job if you die."

Another witness said they heard her say: "I swerved to miss the dog and didn't see the man."

Pamela Kennedy was found guilty of causing death by careless driving at Glasgow Sheriff Court

An ambulance arrived five to 10 minutes later as members of Mr Cawley's family appeared.

Ms Campbell said: "His pregnant daughter told him to live to see his grandchild."

However, Mr Cawley died at the scene from the neck and chest injuries he had sustained.

Zoe was put to sleep the following day due to her injuries.

Ms Campbell told jurors that if Kennedy had paid proper attention and seen Mr Cawley stepping on the road, she could have stopped "in ample time" to have avoided colliding with Mr Cawley and his dog.

Kennedy's lawyer, Graham Mann, said she was now a bank nurse at a care home in the city's Drumchapel.

He added that his client acknowledged it had been "a tragic event" for his family.