Speeding driver jailed after killing young man in hit-and-run crash

A student has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after he killed a young man in a hit-and-run while driving at more than twice the speed limit.

Ralph Fairhurst, 26, ploughed into Kyle Middlemass, 20, in the early hours of June 19, 2022 on Easter Road in Leith, Edinburgh.

Mr Middlemass, who was raised by his grandparents and hoped to work in outdoor sports, died in hospital 10 days later.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Fairhurst had received a penalty charge notice for speeding seven months earlier.

Fairhurst previously admitted causing death by dangerous driving and failure to stop, and was jailed for four years and six months when he was sentenced at the court on Thursday.

He was banned from driving for nine years.

Judge Lord Young said: “Kyle was aged 20 when he died. He was brought up from his grandparents from the age of four.

“He was a young man who had just started to embark on his adult life. He had a love of sport and the outdoors, and hoped to build a career in outdoor sport. No sentence is a reflection of the value of Kyle’s life.”

He said Fairhurst was driving at a “grossly excessive speed for a city centre street in the early hours of the weekend when revellers like Kyle would be making their way home from a night out”.

The judge said: “You were accelerating and did not apply the brakes. Your position is you did not see him and did not know you had hit a person.

“You failed to stop, but it must have been clear you hit something. You received a penalty charge notice for speeding seven months before. That failed to stop you.”

A grieving relative shouted “rot in hell” as Fairhurst was led to the cells.

His defence lawyer said neither Fairhurst, nor two passengers travelling in the Vauxhall Astra, were aware the car had struck a person.

CCTV footage was shown to the court which showed the Vauxhall travelling at an estimated 48mph down the road, which is lined with tenement flats and has a 20mph speed limit.

The car appeared to bump but continued on its journey, and the court heard Fairhurst only realised the “contact” was serious when he saw the damage to the car.

Defending, Mark Stewart said: “He accepts responsibility and accepts the extent of wrongdoing. He understands the extreme consequences suffered by the family of the deceased. He is deeply sorry and apologetic.”

Mr Stewart said Fairhurst was being given directions by his passengers at the time of the crash.

He said: “On reflection he came into contact with something, he thought it was the road surface or an object.

“He didn’t consider for any moment to be a person, it was not a matter that caused him to stop.

“When he saw the damage he realised this event was a more serious event.

“He did not think it was an individual until he was confronted with reality and spoke to the police.”

Mr Stewart added: “That is not an excuse or an attempt to minimise responsibility.”