Death crash driver Emily Arbuthnott told to carry out unpaid work
A motorist who admitted causing the death of a pensioner by driving carelessly on an Aberdeenshire road has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.
Emily Arbuthnott, 37, struck James Lyall, 82, while he was walking across the road at a zebra crossing on the A92 in Inverbervie in November 2014.
Mother-of-three Arbuthnott, of Laurencekirk, admitted the charge at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
She was told to carry out 210 hours of unpaid work in the community.
Arbuthnott was also banned from driving for 15 months.
The charge stated the driver failed to slow down or stop when her vision was obscured by the sun and did not notice Mr Lyall as he crossed the road.
He was taken to hospital in an ambulance under police escort but later died.
Sheriff Graeme Buchanan said the manner of driving which caused Mr Lyall's death was not at the highest end of the scale highlighted in sentencing guidelines.
He said: "It is plain that what has happened has had an absolutely devastating effect on the accused and all of that far outweighs any sort of punishment which this court could impose.
"Plainly this is a deeply distressing case for everyone involved and the sentence in the court is of course in no way intended to reflect the value of the deceased's life.
"I've reached the conclusion that a prison sentence would not be appropriate in this case for a variety of reasons, including the fact that the driving conditions on the day were very difficult."
Arbuthnott, the daughter-in-law of the 17th Viscount of Arbuthnott, was not injured in the crash.