Death crash lawyer to pay damages

The case was heard at the Court of Session

The parents of a young man who died in a road accident caused by a French lawyer have been awarded £60,000 damages.

Jacques Le-Brusq was driving his client to court to face a death crash charge when he collided with Colin Strang's car.

The lawyer's Saab was travelling on the wrong side of the road on the A9 Perth to Inverness road when it collided head on with the other vehicle.

Mr Strang, 21, was killed instantly in the crash and his girlfriend, Louise Morrall, 20, was severely injured and died in hospital five days later.

M Le-Brusq had earlier been fined £1,000 at Inverness Sheriff Court

Le-Brusq's passenger, Rene Le Berre, 46, was also killed in the crash.

The passenger had been due to appear in court to face charges that he had driven on the wrong side of the road in Sutherland leading to a fatality.

Le-Brusq, from Brittany, was subsequently fined £1,000 at Inverness Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of careless driving.

But Colin's parents, Steven and Irene Strang, sued the French lawyer in a civil action for £100,000 compensation over the loss of their son and the grief they suffered.

21st birthday

A jury at the Court of Session in Edinburgh took just over an hour to award them each £30,000 in damages.

A further £4,056 to cover funeral expenses was agreed.

The court heard that for months after the accident Mrs Strang, 51, would set a place at the dinner table for her son at the family home in Perth.

Mr Strang, 54, a prison officer said his son, who lived at home, had celebrated his 21st birthday the week before the fatal crash on 13 October 1996.

People say a wound heals with time. It helps you live with it a little bit better, but the wound never heals

Steven Strang

He had been driving southwards with Miss Morrall, of Kirkhill, near Inverness, when his Vauxhall Cavalier was struck by the French driver's car.

Mr Strang said his son was in the process of completing of an apprenticeship with the Hydro Board and had met Miss Morrall while attending college.

His counsel Douglas Kinloch asked if he thought he would ever get over what happened.

Mr Strang replied: "I don't think ever. People say a wound heals with time. It helps you live with it a little bit better, but the wound never heals."

Insurance company

In addressing the jury, the Mr Kinloch said Le-Brusq had disembarked from an overnight ferry on the morning of the accident and driven northwards, stopping just twice.

Liability in the action was admitted and the jury were left only to decide on the amount of damages.

The couple's solicitor said they were happy with the verdict of the jury, but were disappointed the insurance company made them give evidence in court.

An action for damages against Le-Brusq by the parents of Miss Morrall is expected to be heard at a later date.