Drink driver jailed for three years over Inverness bookmaker's crash
- Published
Stewart's car crash into the outside wall of the William Hill bookmaker's in Inverness city centre
A drink driver who left three men with life-threatening injuries after crashing her car into a bookmaker's in Inverness has been jailed.
Donna Stewart, 46, was originally charged with attempting to murder her partner Hugh Lowther and two other passengers in the crash in 2021.
The mother-of-five, from Perth, denied that charge but pled guilty to dangerous driving.
She was jailed for three years and also given a six-year driving ban.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Stewart, who was living in Inverness at the time, and her long-term partner Mr Lowther had visited a woman at her home.
Stewart discovered that Mr Lowther had he been having an affair and that he had gone back on a promise to end his involvement with drugs.
The prosecutor said that appeared to have been "the catalyst" for Stewart to start drinking heavily and become increasingly upset.
The couple drove to a friend's home where they were heard arguing and Stewart insisted on driving the Mercedes C220 with Mr Lowther, Stephen MacDonald and John Fraser as passengers.
During the journey, one of the men said at one point the car's speedometer registered 80mph and they were all shouting at her to slow down.
'Devastating consequences'
CCTV footage showed the car emerge at high speed from Lower Kessock Street, where it crossed Grant Street and collided with the wall of a branch of William Hill.
Members of the public helped remove Mr MacDonald and Mr Fraser from the vehicle. Stewart and Mr Lowther were cut out from the car by firefighters.
All four were taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness by ambulance and the three men underwent surgery after sustaining injuries which were described as "life threating".
Judge Graham Buchanan told Stewart: "Your actions on the night in question were totally irresponsible and resulted in devastating consequences for each of your three victims.
"You were driving whilst intoxicated through alcohol, to some extent at least, and it is plain your speed was grossly excessive.
"It is clear that in the circumstances only a sentence of imprisonment is appropriate."
- Published3 February 2021
