Jailed driver 'robbed' couple's future in crash

A driver who "robbed " a family of a future together by killing a husband and wife in a head-on car crash in Argyll has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

Martin and Josephine Cousland, of Anstruther, Fife, died when their Audi Q2 was hit on the A85 near Dalmally in March 2023.

George Murphy, 55, of Thornliebank, East Renfrewshire, admitted causing the crash after overtaking three vehicles and then trying to overtake a bus.

He and his two sons, who were passengers in his Ford Mondeo, were also injured.

Murphy - who already had a history of road traffic offences - pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at the High Court in Glasgow to a charge of causing the deaths and serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was also banned from driving for life.

The daughters of Mr Cousland, a retired engineering project manager, and Mrs Cousland, who worked in human resources, said they "mourn the loss of our fun, loving and kind parents" every day.

Judge Lord Arthurson said described the Couslands as a "vigorous and extremely popular couple".

"They loved life and lived it to the full," he told Murphy. "Your criminal actions robbed them and their loved ones of a future together.

"Their daughters lost both their parents simultaneously in a moment.

"Putting matters bluntly, on that fateful day, your time was more important to you than the lives and welfare of any of your fellow road users."

The crash happened on the A85 Oban to Perth trunk road at Glen Lochy, about six miles (10km) from Tyndrum, as the Couslands were setting off on holiday.

They were travelling to a hotel in Oban to meet their daughters before a holiday on the Isle of Mull.

Mrs Cousland, 69, was driving and her 70-year-old husband was the passenger.

The court heard Murphy had tried to get round the coach despite having "insufficient visibility of oncoming traffic" due to the approaching blind summit and bend.

Footage of the crash captured on a dash-cam and from the bus and photos of the wreckage were shown in the court late last year..

The court earlier heard how Murphy was "haunted" by what happened.

Defence KC Tony Graham said: "There is no attempt to mitigate the standard of driving.

"It was an exceptionally foolhardy approach to that bend.

"He is a man broken, but realises that is insignificant to what others have lost."

Lord Arthurson reduced the sentence from 11 years due to Murphy's guilty plea.

Murphy's son Alexander, 25, suffered a spinal injury while Liam, 21, had his hip shattered in 12 places.

The Couslands' daughters, Penelope and Zoe, said no sentence would bring back their parents.

In a statement, they added: "Due to the legal processes, we have been deprived of anything more than the mere basic facts of what happened until the plea hearing in November.

"We would urge those in power to consider changes to legislation to care better for grieving families and bystanders of road traffic offences.

"Every day we mourn the loss of our fun, loving and kind parents, who have been victims of such a senseless crime."