A motorist has been jailed for six years after causing the death of a woman while driving dangerously under the influence of cocaine.
Christopher Lynn, 32, from Dalkeith, was behind the wheel of a Ford Ranger when it collided with a Vauxhall Astra driven by 64-year-old Yvonne Nichol on the A7 in the Scottish Borders on 15 August 2023. The crash forced Ms Nichol’s car onto the opposite carriageway, where it hit an oncoming vehicle.
Ms Nichol, from Hawick, died shortly after being taken to hospital. Her 65-year-old passenger and a 71-year-old woman driving the other car also sustained serious injuries.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Lynn had been driving at 81mph—well over the 60mph speed limit for the road and 50mph for his light goods vehicle—while on the “comedown” from taking cocaine.
Lynn pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at a High Court hearing in Glasgow earlier this month, admitting he had driven “while impaired having consumed cocaine” and at excessive speed.
Lord Clark sentenced him to six years in prison, reducing the potential eight-year sentence due to his early guilty plea. Lynn was also disqualified from driving for nine years.
The judge said:
“There is no sentence I can impose that can in any way alleviate the devastating consequences of your actions for the individuals and the family members.”
Advocate Victoria Dow told the court that Lynn, a father-of-one, had previously led a “blameless and worthwhile life” and was genuinely remorseful for his actions.
Inspector Dominic Doyle of Police Scotland said:
“Lynn made choices which left him unfit to be behind the wheel of a vehicle that day. His reckless actions had devastating consequences, taking the life of Yvonne Nichol and leaving others with serious injuries. This tragedy is a reminder of the responsibility every driver has on our roads.”
