A Scottish motorsport legend left severely disabled in a horror road smash has received an apology from prosecutors after he found out about the outcome of his case in a newspaper.
Commentator Garry Stagg, known as the ‘voice of Knockhill’, and his wife Hilda both lost limbs when a driver veered into oncoming traffic and hit their motorcycle in July last year.
The couple were still in hospital recovering from their life-changing injuries when the driver appeared in court.
But rather than being kept informed about the case by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the couple were left to read about his conviction and sentence in the press.
The Staggs, who say they were “utterly appalled” by the way they were treated, have now had a complaint to COPFS partially upheld amid growing concern victims of crime are being kept in the dark.
The couple’s solicitor Brenda Mitchell said: “What Garry Stagg found appalling was that at no point in time did anyone contact himself or his wife to enquire as to their whereabouts or their well-being.
“To read about the conviction in the newspaper was deeply upsetting. He felt that as a victim of crime, he had not been treated fairly and had certainly not been treated with respect.
“He did not feel that COPFS was in any way supportive.”
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The lawyer added that it is “not uncommon” for victims of crime - particularly those involved in road accidents - to discover the result of criminal cases in the press.
She told of another client, John Willans, who has complained to the Crown after he too was left to read about the case of the driver who crashed into him in a newspaper.
The solicitor said: “It is quite common for victims of crime, particularly involving road traffic collisions, to be very much kept in the dark.
“COPFS should be providing information to victims and keeping them up-to-date with key developments in the case - not leaving it to chance for them to read about it in the newspapers.”
The Staggs were travelling on the A9 on their way to Thurso when Ryan MacDonald lost control and crashed into them.
Mr Stagg, who worked at Knockhill Racing Circuit for more than 30 years, had to have his right leg amputated at the hip and is still in hospital unable to move any of his limbs. Mrs Stagg had her right leg amputated at the knee.
Mr MacDonald admitted to careless driving at Tain Sheriff Court in December last year and was fined £335 and given six penalty points.
The Crown had written to the Staggs at their home address despite being told by police that they were still in hospital.
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In Mr Willans case, he was knocked off his motorbike by a bus in Perth in July last year. The driver, Michael Munro, pleaded guilty to careless driving at Perth Sheriff Court and was fined £800 and given nine penalty points.
The soldier, who suffered an open fracture to his right leg, damaged his knee cap and had to have skin and muscle grafts, received no contact from the Crown Office.
Mr Willans said:”It really knocked me for six when I read about it, especially when it said I was supposedly back fully fit, when in fact I’m still waiting on an operation and facing the prospect of my army career being over.”
A Crown Office spokeswoman said: “COPFS made efforts to inform Mr and Mrs Stagg of case progress.
“Those attempts were unsuccessful and we recognise that, in the particular circumstances, more could have been done to ensure that the information was received.
“COPFS has apologised to Mr and Mrs Stagg for the upset caused.”
In Mr Willans’s case, the Crown replied that only certain victims get access to the VIA Service, however victims and witnesses can contact COPFS for information.
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