'Inexperienced' Larbert driver caused fatal crash in which Lanark motorcyclist died

Dean Jackson made a right turn into the path of mother-of-three Yvonne Motherwell, 53, who was riding a Suzuki motorbike when the collision with his black BMW car occurred.

Collision investigators concluded that the car driver's failure to pay full attention to the road ahead resulted in the fatal crash at Wilsontown, in Lanarkshire, on April 3 in 2021, a court heard.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice KC told the High Court in Edinburgh today (Tuesday): "At the material time the accused was more than three times the specified limit for Benzoylecgonine, the major metabolite of cocaine."

IT engineer Jackson, 22, of McCormack Place, Larbert, near Falkirk, admitted causing the victim's death by driving without due care and attention and while over the limit for the cocaine metabolite.

He failed to maintain proper observations on the road ahead and failed to observe and give way to the motorcyclist before driving into her path.

Mr Prentice said: "Yvonne Motherwell kept very good health and has been described as being extremely active in terms of fitness.

He said she had considerable experience as a motorcyclist and added: "She has been described as a very competent and extremely cautious rider."

On the day of her death she was travelling with another motorcyclist and after leaving Lanark they were going in the direction of Livingston, in West Lothian. Jackson was driving on the A706 to visit his girlfriend.

Mr Prentice said: "It was daylight, visibility was good, the weather was fine and there were no high winds. The road surface was dry and the volume of traffic was moderate."

A motorist who was travelling behind Jackson's car saw the motorcyclists coming towards then a few seconds before Jackson indicated to turn right and slowed at the junction.

The prosecutor said: "Jackson continued with his right turn manoeuvre despite Yvonne Motherwell's motorbike approaching, and he drove directly into her path, leaving her insufficient reaction time and distance to stop or otherwise avoid colliding with the accused's car."

The woman driving behind Jackson stopped her car and went out to help. She asked Jackson how he had not seen the motorcyclists and he responded: "I never saw them."

Emergency services were contacted for the stricken motorcyclist and a medical trauma team arrived by helicopter but it was realised that she had suffered catastrophic injuries which were incompatible with life.

Jackson told police that he had turned wider at the junction to avoid a parked car and did not see anything at all while he was making the turn. He passed a preliminary breath test but a drug test gave a positive indication for cocaine. He later denied taking drugs during an interview, the court heard.

Mr Prentice said collision investigators had said it was possible that Jackson was distracted by something in his vehicle or by the car that was at the junction.

But they added: "However, it is the driver of the black BMW motor car's responsibility to ensure the road is clear before crossing the centre line onto the opposing lane to turn into the junction."

Mr Prentice said: "The Crown's position is if he had paid attention and looked straight ahead he would have seen the motorcyclists."

Defence counsel Janice Green asked for Jackson's bail to be continued while a background report on him is prepared ahead of sentencing next month. She said he was an inexperienced driver who had just turned 20 at the time of the crash.

The judge, Lord Beckett, told Jackson he had now pleaded guilty to a serious offence in the High Court and remanded him in custody. He added that he would "keep an open mind on all sentencing options".