Road rage death driver jailed

Craig Millar: This has changed our lives forever

A man has been jailed for five years for causing the death of a six-month-old baby in a road rage incident on a Scottish motorway.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how Mark Watt, a convicted drug dealer, forced another vehicle off the M8 motorway, near Paisley, in Renfrewshire.

Robbie Millar died the day after his father's car left the road and went down an embankment near the St James Interchange on 18 April 2000.

The trial judge, Lord Osborne, described Watt's conduct as "grotesquely irresponsible".

Robbie Millar died in the crash

He also sentenced Watt, 46, from Mount Vernon, Glasgow, to an additional six months in prison for failing to appear for trial last November.

Norman Ritchie, prosecuting, revealed that Watt fled the country rather than face trial and had to be extradited after being held in a Spanish jail.

He also had previous convictions for drugs and served two sentences of nine and 10 years.

Mr Ritchie described how Craig Millar and his family were driving towards Paisley and had just gone through the roundabout at Langbank when the road rage incident began.

The family saloon car carrying Mr Millar, his wife Mary and their three children, was in the outside lane and Watt's Renault Scenic people carrier was on the inside.

Out of control

Mr Millar signalled to move into the inside lane but was prevented from doing so by Watt.

He increased his speed to between 70mph and 80mph and pulled into the inside lane ahead of Watt who then overtook him and pulled in front.

He braked causing Mr Millar to brake as well.

Mark Watt: Previous convictions

Over some six miles Watt buzzed the family saloon overtaking and braking in front of it each time Mr Millar tried to accelerate out of trouble.

The last time Watt drove in front of the Millar family their car went out of control and spun off the motorway.

All the family were injured but the youngest son, Robbie, died.

Defence QC Paul McBride said there were mitigating circumstances because both drivers drove at speeds in excess of 80mph.

He said that independent witnesses had seen Watt and Mr Millar "driving like boy racers".

But the judge described Watt's conduct as "grotesquely irresponsible" and sentenced him to five years.

'Changed our lives'

Later, Mr Millar told a news conference that his family had been "going through a living hell" for the two years since the incident.

He said: "What happened has changed our lives forever and no sentence is ever going to change that.

"It does not matter if it was five years or 50 years, it will not bring Robbie back.

"There is not a day goes by when we do not think about Robbie and the joy he brought us in his short life."