Drunk driver jailed in Edinburgh

Ritchie had previous convictions including drink driving and speeding

A drunken motorist, whose dangerous driving caused the death of his pregnant teenage girlfriend, has been jailed for seven years at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The court heard how 28-year-old William Ritchie, from Prestonpans in East Lothian, had fled from the scene of one accident when his car collided with another vehicle leaving his speedometer jammed at 72 mph.

The crash happened on a 40 mph stretch of road in the Portobello district of Edinburgh.

His front seat passenger, 16-year-old Nicola Tait, suffered life threatening injuries in the accident and died the next day in hospital.

The teenager was seven months pregnant and her unborn baby was also killed as a result of the crash.

Ritchie whose previous convictions including drink driving and speeding, was found to be almost twice the drink driving limit.

He also had twice the upper recognised prescribed dose of diazepam in his system.

In passing sentence, Lord Reed told Ritchie that his actions had been completely irresponsible and had had catastrophic consequences for the girl and her unborn child.