Crash verdict leaves family in limbo
A GRIEVING mother has told how she will never have closure over the death of her daughter and grandson after the woman accused of causing the horror car crash walked free from court.
Jennifer Lunet, 30, had faced charges of causing the deaths of mother-of-three Laura Binns, 30, and her two-year-old son Kieran after the smash on the M8 two years ago.
But a jury last week returned a majority not proven verdict after hearing how Ms Lunet suffered from a heart condition which may have caused her to black out at the wheel.
Laura's devastated mother, Marie Young, 52, said the verdict had left her family in limbo.
"I am pleased that it was a not proven verdict and not a not guilty verdict, but it still feels like a slap in the face," said gift shop owner Ms Young.
"The whole verdict to us seems rather strange and there will be no closure for us now. We are extremely angry at the outcome.
"There are two children left without a mother and brother. The ripples travel out to all the other members of our family as well and even now people still can't believe what's happened.
"We will never be able to put this behind us and just have to learn to live with it, but it's different to losing a loved one who has died of natural causes.
"When someone is killed and you don't know what really caused it, it is just ongoing. Constant."
The strain of the tragedy had even forced Ms Young to give up her gift shop business shortly after the accident.
Her other daughter, Amanda, 33, was driving Laura and Kieran home to Largs after a visit to her home in Boghall, Bathgate, when the accident happened on the motorway near Harthill on 31 August, 2008.
A trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court had heard how Ms Lunet, originally from France but staying in Raeburn Rigg, Livingston, had been driving in the opposite direction when her car swerved across a 40mph contraflow lane and hit Amanda's Vauxhall Corsa.
Ms Lunet, who said she did not have any recollection of the crash, was accused of causing the fatal smash by driving without due care and attention and without reasonable consideration for other road users.
The court had heard during the trial that she had been fitted with a heart monitor following the crash, which had recorded one abnormal reading in November 2009, after she had sex with her partner.
Her condition was also compared to Motherwell footballer Phil O'Donnell, who died of a heart seizure while playing in 2007.
Her defence advocate, Dale Hughes QC, said she was "genuinely devastated" over the deaths.
He added: "She knows regardless of fault if she was not sitting there in that car this tragedy may never have happened and she has to live with that for the rest of her life."
Laura's other two children, Brandon, 12, and Stephanie, nine, now live with their father in Cumnock in Ayrshire.
Amanda, who has two boys aged 15 and 14, suffered horrific facial and leg injuries.
She may never walk again without the aid of walking sticks or crutches and, like Ms Lunet, cannot remember anything about the crash.
She has had several painful operations to insert pins and rods into her legs and has a plate in her cheek after suffering fractures in her cheek and jaw bones.
Ms Young said the emotional pain for Amanda was almost as unbearable.
She said: "It's really difficult for Amanda. There are three things she has to deal with every day.
"The pain of her injuries, the deaths of her sister and nephew and the fact that she was driving. Although everyone knows it wasn't her fault she is still trying to come to terms with it in her own way. It's a terrible burden."
Ms Lunet cried after the not proven verdict was delivered by the jury after a two-hour deliberation. She refused to comment outside court.
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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