Speeder who hit dad crossing road at 89mph convicted with car diagnostics

A speeding driver who killed a pedestrian as the victim walked home from the pub has been jailed – after being convicted on the evidence of his car’s own on-board diagnostics system.

Raymond Munro’s partner’s VW Golf – which Munro was driving home from work – was recorded to have reached a speed of 91mph on the Kingsway dual carriageway in East Kilbride when he failed to notice David McCallum crossing and hit him.

Mr McCallum, 50, who had recently left the nearby Village Inn, was thrown into the air.

The High Court in Stirling heard his injuries were “catastrophic” and would have been instantly fatal.

David McCallum, 50, had left the Village Inn before he was thrown into the air in the crash and suffered instantly fatal 'catastrophic' injuries. — David McCallum, 50, had left the Village Inn before he was thrown into the air in the crash and suffered instantly fatal ‘catastrophic’ injuries. Central Scotland News Agency

Pathologist Dr Leighanne Deboys said: “They were at the extreme end of injuries we’d expect to see in a pedestrian.

“They would have had to have been caused by a high-velocity impact.”

Munro, 43, of Uddingston, Lanarkshire denied causing Mr McCallum’s death by driving dangerously, in excess of the speed limit, and failing to keep a proper look-out.

He chose not to give evidence, but in comments to a police and a paramedic at the scene he claimed he had been doing “approximately 50” in the outside lane, and was overtaking other vehicles when there was a bang and his windscreen came in.

He said: “I didn’t see anyone.”

The paramedic, Rebekah McLoughlin, added: “He said he couldn’t believe what happened.”

The collision occurred at around 8.50pm on September 23, 2022.

On Monday, February 16, after a trial that lasted more than two weeks, a majority of jurors found Munro guilty.

Speed at impact logged by VW Golf sensor

The jury heard that the speed at impact of the car he was driving was logged by a sensor behind the VW badge on the bonnet of the four-wheel-drive, 290 brake horsepower white Golf.

The tell-tale data was downloaded by a VW technician, brought in by police.

It was corroborated by two cameras at a nearby BP garage, which caught the “traumatic” incident on CCTV. A calculation based on this revealed a speed of 89mph.

The court heard that the road was well-lit, subject to a 50mph limit, and the visibility was good.

Although Munro should have had a “clear, unobstructed view” of Mr McCallum crossing, there was no evidence that he had braked before hitting him.

Munro, a panel-beater who had spent days fixing up the almost-new VW in his boss’ garage just before the collision, hung his head in the dock as the footage was shown to the jury.

The court heard that after the crash he passed a breathalyser test – reading zero for alcohol – but failed a roadside test for cocaine. However, the Crown did not allege his driving was impaired by this, and no post-incident blood test was carried out to determine his actual level of cocaine. A charge alleging he had refused to provide a sample was dropped.

“The greatest man I will ever know”
David McCallum’s son

Munro showed no emotion when the majority verdict was returned.

Judge Lord Harrower remanded him in custody.

He deferred sentencing at the High Court in Stirling for a background report and psychological assessment until March 17. The length of a driving ban will be set at the hearing.

Defence solicitor-advocate Marco Guarino reserved mitigation.

After Mr McCallum’s death, his family paid tribute to the James Bond fan, father of two.

His son said on social media his dad was “the greatest man I will ever know”.

His daughter wrote: “For those of you who knew my dad or even have heard the millions of stories I’ve told of him will know he was the most sincere and caring man ever.”

For his funeral at South Lanarkshire Crematorium, the family asked mourners to wear bow ties “in memory of David and his love of 007”.