Two drivers who caused the death of a mother in a high-speed race on the A70 near Ayr have been sentenced to eight years in prison. Rory Nimmo, 25, and John Clark, 42, were found guilty of causing the death of Shona McKinlay, 46, who died in a crash on October 28, 2022.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that Nimmo and Clark had been driving at grossly excessive speeds, reaching up to 111mph, and were engaged in a race. The crash occurred when Nimmo's Audi TT, which had tyres below the legal tread depth, collided with a Renault Kangoo driven by Ms McKinlay. She died at the scene, and a passenger in her van was also injured.
Prosecutors said Nimmo overtook Clark's Ford Focus in an unsafe manner, forcing Clark to accelerate to prevent the manoeuvre. Nimmo lost control after braking suddenly on a bend, crossing into the opposite lane. Both men denied causing death, with Clark claiming mistaken identity, but they were convicted and remanded in custody.
Ms McKinlay's son, Callum, branded the pair "rats" after the verdict, expressing frustration at the three-year delay in justice. In a statement, he said: "It has been a long, hard three years... I love and miss you, mum." Her daughter's partner, Jonny Scott, also condemned the drivers, describing Ms McKinlay as a "devoted gran and mum." Tributes on social media remembered her as a "beautiful and amazing person."
