Driver who killed girlfriend in crash jailed

Steven Allan was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh

A man who was convicted of killing his girlfriend by driving dangerously has been jailed for four years at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Steven Allan's car hit a tree as he travelled with Rebecca Sivyer on the A94 Perth to Forfar road in August 2021. He later claimed she caused the crash.

Allan, 33, said Ms Sivyer, 23, grabbed the steering wheel but a jury heard he used his mobile phone before he lost control of his car.

Judge Lady Carmichael said the loss of young mother Ms Sivyer had caused terrible grief for those who loved her.

The court was previously told that the couple had recently started dating.

In evidence, Allan told the court that Ms Sivyer was happy in the moments before the incident.

Allan claimed: "She grabbed the steering wheel. I have kept it to myself for four years."

Prosecutor Tracey Brown told the jury in her closing speech that police had built a case which showed that Allan had been driving dangerously in the moments leading up to the collision.

She added: "I invite you to reject the explanation offered by the accused. It did not happen."

'Lives changed forever'

Defence counsel Gary Allan KC said on Thursday that Allan had given his account of events but that "plainly did not raise a reasonable doubt in the mind of the jury".

He told the court: "He will have to live with this incident for the rest of his life."

The judge told Allan: "You were convicted of causing the death of Rebecca Sivyer by dangerous driving. Miss Sivyer was 23 when she died. She left a young daughter."

Lady Carmichael said: "Their lives have been changed forever and no sentence I can impose today can repair that harm.

"You have never offended before but the seriousness of the offence means there is no alternative to a custodial sentence."

Allan was also banned from driving for seven years and would then have to sit an extended test.

Ms Sivyer's family previously said Allan's actions "cost our beloved Becca her life", and that her young daughter had "lost sharing the future with her mum".