Mum of teen girl killed in car smash begs judge to show leniency to boyfriend who was driving
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The mother of a teenage girl killed in a car crash begged a judge to show leniency to her daughter's boyfriend - who was driving the car at the time.
David White, 20, avoided jail after Debbie Gilham – mum of tragic 16-year-old Georgia –asked a sheriff to show him mercy.
He was hugged by Georgia's grieving family as he walked free from Inverness Sheriff Court, reports the Daily Record .
Georgia – White’s girlfriend– was in the passenger seat when he drove his Vauxhall Corsa head-on into a Mercedes near his home in Croy, Inverness-shire.
(Photo: Internet Unknown)
She died at the scene and John Foggo, 18, who was in the back of the Corsa, died from his injuries in hospital.
Part of Debbie’s letter to Sheriff Chris Dickson was read out by defence solicitor advocate Shahid Latif.
He said: “It opens with a plea for leniency. She says that she has seen the toll of what has occurred and the impact it has had on my client.
“She also writes, ‘I can’t help Georgia now but if she were here she would be begging me to do everything in my power to help David’.”
Latif said the other families involved were still supportive of White, who was “devastated and has struggled to come to terms with the loss of his friends”.
White still has flashbacks and has given up his job as a mechanic because he can’t concentrate, Latif said.
The advocate asked the sheriff not to send his client to jail.
He added: “He did not mean to cause the deaths of his girlfriend and his friend.
“Whatever led to the loss of control was a secondary lapse or error of judgment. He didn’t slow sufficiently down.”
White, who admitted causing death by careless driving, was ordered to do 300 hours of community service, banned from driving for 16 months and will be tagged and subject to a three-month night-time curfew.
The sheriff told him: “I have taken into account the letter from Ms Gilham’s mother, your lack of record, your age and that you are at low risk of re-offending. Had it been causing death by dangerous driving, you would have been sent to custody.”
After sentencing, Debbie and other relatives hugged White, as did members of John’s family.
Debbie would only say: “I am too overwhelmed at the moment to speak.”
(Photo: Internet Unknown)
White said: “I am grateful for the support from all the families. I am glad it is all over.”
The court was told White had only passed his test six months before the crash and lost control on a bend on the B9006 as he and his pals returned from a trip to McDonald’s in Inverness.
The court was told another passenger in the car – Rebecca Angus, 16 – sustained multiple injuries and is recovering.
White sustained head and pelvic injuries.
The two men in the Mercedes were taken to hospital but were not seriously injured.