Death by careless driving

An elderly Edinburgh motorist who killed a church minister by careless driving has been banned for four years.

Rev Tom Sinclair - formerly the pastor at Martin’s Memorial Church in Stornoway was hit twice by the driver in the capital in May last year.

He suffered fatal injuries and died at the sceneThe 76-year-old had been attending the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He was walking across the entrance road to Waverley rail station, when the collision occurred.

Kelman Edwards, 78, previously admitted causing Mr Sinclair’s death by careless driving.

He returned to the same court today for sentencing.

Sheriff Frank Crowe disqualified Edwards until 2019. He must resit a full driving test before getting behind the wheel again.

The accused is also tagged for the next six months.

The court imposed a imposed a nightly curfew, requiring Edwards to stay within his home between 9pm and 6am for the next six months.

The court was previously told Edwards was reversing but pressed down on the accelerator pedal by mistake, ploughing into Mr Sinclair.

Mr Sinclair was hit a second time as Edwards tried to manoeuvre his vehicle.

Mr Sinclair, originally from Glasgow, was the serving clerk for the Lewis Presbytery. He had also been a minister in Stornoway’s Martin Memorial Church for nearly 30 years before he retired. He and his wife Pam lived in Tarbert, Harris.

Ban for motorist who killed minister by careless driving

5 May 2015