A Scottish man, Sam Barber, has been sentenced to five years in prison for causing the death of his girlfriend in a tragic crash where he was driving at 100mph. Barber was driving his new BMW 315i on the A72 in Biggar, Lanarkshire, with his girlfriend Beth Damer, 20, as a passenger when he lost control of the vehicle, causing it to flip onto its roof. Damer, a NHS clinical support worker, tragically did not survive the crash that occurred on March 12, 2022.
Barber, who had previous convictions for careless driving and speeding, pleaded guilty to the charge of causing death by dangerous driving. In sentencing at the High Court in Glasgow, Lord Arthurson reduced the jail term from six-and-a-half years due to Barber’s guilty plea. The judge acknowledged the impact of Damer’s untimely death on her family, describing her as a young woman with immense potential and a beautiful life cut short.
Witnesses at the scene described Barber’s car as speeding past at over 90mph before losing control and crashing into a field. Emergency services arrived, but Damer succumbed to her injuries. Collision investigators determined Barber was driving at 103mph on a road with a speed limit of 60mph, attributing the cause of the crash solely to the excessive speed of the BMW.
During the court proceedings, Barber expressed deep remorse, stating, “I hate myself.” His defence lawyer highlighted the devastation Barber felt, but acknowledged that it paled in comparison to the suffering Damer’s family endured. In addition to the prison sentence, Barber was banned from driving for 12 years and six months.
The case serves as a tragic reminder of the devastating consequences of reckless driving and the importance of adhering to speed limits and road safety regulations to prevent such heart-wrenching incidents from occurring. The court’s decision sends a strong message about being accountable for one’s actions behind the wheel and the severe repercussions of dangerous driving behaviours.