SORROW

Maniac driver who killed Scots gran, 70, hopes jail term gives family justice for their loss

A MANIAC driver who killed a gran of 70 in a head-on smash said he hopes his jail term will give her family justice.

Damian Gulczynski, 27, wept and expressed his remorse as he was caged for 45 months today for killing Julia Grierson.

Defence lawyer Richard Freeman told the High Court in Glasgow his client had wanted to write to relatives of the mum of two “to apologise for the loss and pain he has caused”.

Mr Freeman said: “He says the jail sentence will give a bit of justice to the family and says it should have been him that died, not Mrs Grierson.

“He thinks about this incident on a daily basis and is very sorry about the loss of life.”

Land surveyor Gulczynski admitted causing the death of Julia, known as Margaret, in the horror collision on the A702 near Wandel, Lanarkshire.

The court heard he tried to overtake six cars before slamming his Vauxhall Astra into Mrs Grierson’s Kia Rio as she came round a bend.

She was travelling to visit her daughter Jill Cuthbertson at the time of the Mother’s Day horror on March 10, 2018.

Caging him, Judge Lady Stacey said: “You caused the death of Mrs Grierson by dangerous driving. Nothing I can say can lessen the grief her family feel.

“You have expressed guilt and remorse for what you did. You say you should have died that day and not Mrs Grierson.

“You were an inexperienced driver and carried out a very dangerous overtaking manoeuvre and can offer no explanation for your decision to do so.”

Gulczynski, of Edinburgh, suffered fractures to his hip and elbow while Mrs Grierson lost her life at the scene.

Lady Stacey also banned Gulczynski from driving for 5½ years.