Drink-drive death cabbie jailed

Andrew was found guilty at Hamilton Sheriff Court

A taxi driver who knocked down a 13-year-old schoolgirl while almost twice the drink drive limit has been jailed for two years at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

George Andrew, 57, hit Ashley Grant in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, in March last year.

She died three days later in hospital.

He had drunk four whiskies and a pint of beer shortly before the accident.

George Andrew: Jailed for two years

Mr Andrew was also banned from driving for seven years, and will have to re-sit his drving test at the end of the ban.

Sheriff Joyce Powrie said she had no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence.

Schoolgirl Ashley Grant, was knocked down after she got off a bus just yards from her home in March last year.

The 13-year-old, from East Kilbride, died in hospital from severe head injuries three days after the incident.

Outside court Ashley's grandfather John Grant described the verdict as "disgusting".

Wiping away tears he said: "I am really gutted because two years for a young life of 13 is nothing at all."

Serious offence

After the trial at Hamilton earlier this month a jury of seven women and eight men found Andrew guilty of careless driving under the influence of alcohol.

During the hearing the court was told Andrew had drunk two double whiskies and a pint of beer in a bar before getting into his taxi to drop it off at a colleague's house nearby.

Within minutes the right side of his Vauxhall Cavalier struck Ashley, who had been crossing the road with two school friends.

Passing sentence, Sheriff Powrie said: "You have committed a serious offence.

"The matter is serious enough that there is no suitable alternative to a custodial sentence.

Ashley Grant was knocked down last year

"You had four whiskies and one pint immediately before driving and knew you were over the legal limit."

Alongside his custodial sentence, the sheriff said Andrew would be banned from driving for seven years.

Mr Grant, 66, said he felt the sentence was insufficient and was of no comfort to him after losing his only grandchild.

He said: "It is disgusting he will be out before the time it takes me to leave here."

Mr Grant said Ashley's parents, Colin, 39, and Diane, 36, had not attended court because they had feared their reaction to the sentence.

"They would be worse than me and I am bad enough," he added.

Mr Grant said he did not know how they would take the news, adding: "That I can't answer just now. I need to see my son and my daughter-in-law to see what they are going to do."