Driver killed Fife couple with 'zest for life' while overtaking three vehicles on A85 in Argyll

A speeding driver who killed a couple on holiday in a head-on crash has been jailed.

George Murphy, 55, caused the crash after overtaking three vehicles and trying to get past a bus on the A85 in Argyll on March 31, 2023.

Martin and Josephine Cousland, of Anstruther, Fife, didn’t survive the collision after their Audi Q2 was struck.

Murphy’s two sons – who were passengers in his Ford Mondeo – were also badly hurt.

Murphy – who already had a history of road traffic offences – appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of causing the deaths and serious injury by dangerous driving.

The dad, of Thornliebank, had been on bail, but was remanded in custody by judge Lord Arthurson pending sentencing in the new year.

The crash occurred on the A85 Oban to Perth trunk road at Glen Lochy, around six miles from Tyndrum in Argyll.

Josephine, 69, had been driving the couple’s Audi that day with her 70-year-old husband Martin the passenger.

Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC explained: “As she emerged out of a dip in the road, her vehicle collided head-on with the Ford Mondeo.

“Murphy had been travelling east on the westbound carriageway after performing a multi-vehicle overtake when approaching the brow of the hill.”

Murphy had tried to get around the coach despite having “insufficient visibility of oncoming traffic” due to the approaching blind summit and bend.

Harrowing footage of the crash – captured on a dash-cam and from the bus – was played during the hearing.

Murphy kept his head down and did not look at the screen in front of him as he sat in the dock.

Photos of the wreckage were also shown in court.

Mr Prentice: “Several drivers and passengers from other vehicles ran to assist the occupants of both cars.

“There was nothing they could do to save the lives of Josephine and Martin Cousland.”

Murphy’s two sons, aged 25 and 21, were also affected, with the eldest suffering a spinal injury and the youngest suffering a broken hip shattered in 12 places.

The court heard the Couslands – who had two daughters – lived in a farmhouse in Anstruther.

Josephine had previously studied geography at Edinburgh University. She went on to work in human resources.

Martin had been an engineering project manager before his retirement.

Murphy’s KC Tony Graham KC said: “There is not a day that passes where he is not haunted by his driving that day.

“It is driving that he has little recollection of as he, too, was injured.

“This is a situation where the Couslands had been embarking on a holiday in the west coast.

“Mr Murphy and his family had been returning from a similar holiday in Oban.

“It should have been a pleasant day and not resulted in what then took place.”

The defence advocate added Murphy could not escape that he had “caused the destruction of human life” and appreciates that he will “never be forgiven”.

Lord Arthurson deferred sentencing for reports.

After the hearing, the couple’s grieving daughters released a statement describing how Martin and Josephine had been “killed in this unnecessary and horrific way”.

They also said: “Our parents were fun, kind and caring people. They had a great zest for life.

“They have been deprived of growing into old age together and of more time with friends and family.

“Our lives will never be the same. We would plead to all road users to drive safely and consider all the potential consequences of not doing so.”

The daughters also thanked those who tried to help their parents at the scene.