Mum died after driver caused crash running red light

A mum-of-one died from her injuries nine days after a car ploughed into her as she unloaded messages from the boot of her car.

James Spiers, from Patna, East Ayrshire, crashed into 55-year-old Pauline Gillespie outside her home in Glasgow’s Anniesland on November 10, 2018, after colliding with another car when he went through a red light.

One of Mrs Gillespie’s legs was severed and she also suffered a brain injury, a broken pelvis and fractured ribs in the collision.

Just minutes earlier she had parked outside her home and was unloading items from the boot.

She died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on November 19.

When police arrived at the scene, Spiers told them he had checked on the woman driving the other car, but claimed he did not realise he had struck Mrs Gillespie.

On Wednesday, Spiers, 55, pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to causing the death of Mrs Gillespie by careless driving and apologised to her family and friends.

The court heard that Spiers drove his Vauxhall Vectra through a red traffic light at the junction of Bearsden Road and Fulton Road.

Mrs Gillespie parked her car in Fulton Street and began taking items out of her boot.

Another car went through the Fulton Street junction on green and was hit by Spiers who ran the red light.

The force of this collision caused Spiers’ car to collide with Mrs Gillespie.

Police arrived at the crash scene and found Mrs Gillespie lying on the road conscious and Spiers in his car.

Prosecutor Ruth Ross Davie said that a post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death as brain injury.

Defence lawyer Euan Cameron said: “It is clear Mrs Gillespie was a much loved and valued mother, friend and wife.

“Mr Spiers has asked me to convey his apologies to her family and does so with the realisation his remorse must inevitably offer little consolation.

“He says not a day goes by that he doesn’t think about Mrs Gillespie and her family. As a consequence of his actions, lives have been ruined.”

Sentence was deferred until the end of the month for background reports. Spiers was bailed meantime.