Death-crash tourist fined

The parents of 14-year-old crash victim Andrew Adams said outside court: ''If it had not been for him, Andrew would still be here. Our lives have been ripped apart''.

A jury at Stonehaven Sheriff Court took just 15 minutes to find Korvel guilty of causing the death of the schoolboy, from Ballater, by dangerous driving in June this year.

Korvel forgot where he was and drove on the wrong side of the A93 Aberdeen-Ballater road, the two-day trial heard.

He then collided with an oncoming car in which Andrew was the front-seat passenger. The driver, Mr Irvine Robertson, 18, who was a friend of Andrew's, escaped with a broken leg.

Procurator-fiscal Ernest Barbour told the jury it was clearly a case of dangerous driving.

However, Korvel's defence counsel, Mr Bill McVicar, argued it was careless driving caused by a brief lapse of attention: ''It seems clear Henning Korvel was indeed responsible for this accident. He has admitted that from the start.

However, he warned: ''You cannot judge a case on the basis of sympathy and tragedy.''

Nevertheless, the jury quickly returned a unanimous guilty verdict on the freelance wildlife and hunting writer.

Sheriff Alexander Jessop accepted neither excessive speed nor drink had played any part in the tragedy. However, imposing the fine instead of a custodial sentence, he said the #3000 fine did not in any way reflect the value of the schoolboy's life.

Outside court, the boy's mother, Sylvia, 37, said: ''British justice leaves a lot to be thought about.

''It's a joke. Our lives have been ripped apart, our lives revolved around Andrew.

''If he had any remorse, or any children of his own, he would not have put us through a trial - it added insult to injury.

''It's another door closed but we still cannot look forward, it's still a dark tunnel.''

The family now plan to launch a civil action for compensation against Korvel, who left court without comment.

However, Andrew's father, Jack, also 37, said: ''No amount of money will ever replace Andrew.''

Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, a driver who caused a fatal crash after Christmas Eve drinks, was jailed for two years.

Brian Seaton, 27, ploughed almost head-on into another car as he returned to his Edinburgh home, the sheriff court heard.

Mr Paul Kelly, 19, of Linden Grove, Craigshill, Livingston, West Lothian, died as a result.

A blood test, three hours later in hospital, revealed Seaton's alcohol level was almost one and a half times the legal limit.

Seaton, a warehouse supervisor, of Harvester Way, Edinburgh, denied a charge of causing death by careless driving, after drinking. A jury found him guilty by a majority verdict.

The were no witnesses to the crash on the A89 Newbridge to Bathgate road in wet and windy weather late last Christmas Eve, the trial had heard.

Accident investigator George Hartnup estimated the two cars met at a combined speed of more than 100mph.

Mr Kelly was trapped, unconscious, in the wreckage until freed by firefighters.

At the start of the trial, Seaton pleaded guilty to driving a Rover car with bald tyres. Giving evidence, he told the jury he had drunk six cans of export on the night of the accident.

He had picked up his girlfriend from work and they went to her flat in Uphall, West Lothian, for something to eat. Seaton had a couple of cans with the meal then more when his girlfriend went to bed early, leaving him to watch TV. He said the beer had been drunk over a period of five to six hours.

He blamed a large pool of water on the road for making him lose control of his car.

Seaton, whose speed was estimated by Mr Hartnup at between 47mph and 57mph, denied he was going too fast just before the accident near the turn-off of the B800 Kirkliston road.

Police witnesses testified that the pool of water, covering one side of the road and extending for perhaps 30 yards, should have been seen by a driver from 200 yards away.

Sheriff Mhairi Stephen also banned him from driving for two years.