Christopher Lynn, 32, from Dalkeith in Midlothian, drove his Ford Ranger pick-up truck into the back of 64-year-old Yvonne Nichol’s Vauxhall Astra on the A7 near Ashkirk in the Scottish Borders. The impact forced her car into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
Nichol was rescued from the wreckage by firefighters and taken to Borders General Hospital in Melrose, where she later died from her injuries.
The crash, which occurred on 15 August 2023, also left Jacqueline Szoneberg and Graham Clark the driver and passenger of the oncoming car seriously injured.
At the High Court in Glasgow, Lord Clark described the victim impact statements as “harrowing”, noting the devastating consequences of Lynn’s actions.
The court heard that Lynn had been travelling at around 81mph moments before the collision, despite a 50mph limit for his vehicle type. He admitted to driving dangerously, at excessive speed, and while impaired by cocaine use.
Prosecutor Alan Parfery said that Lynn’s reactions were “slow and impaired” as he was in the “comedown phase” after consuming the class A drug the previous day.
In mitigation, defence counsel Victoria Dow said Lynn was from a good family background, had been steadily employed, and expressed “deep regret” for his behaviour.
Lord Clark told the court that had Lynn gone to trial, he would have faced an eight-year sentence, but this was reduced to six years following his early guilty plea.
In addition to his prison term, Lynn was banned from driving for nine years and must pass an extended test before being allowed to drive again.
