A 24-year-old driver named Washe Manyatelo has been sentenced to five years in jail after causing the death of a 70-year-old woman, Annette Dixon, in Edinburgh. Manyatelo had been inhaling laughing gas at a party the night before the incident and had not slept. Despite feeling fine to drive, he struck Mrs. Dixon while she was crossing the road with her walking frame. Manyatelo admitted to causing her death by dangerous driving.
During the sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh, Judge Lady Ross criticized Manyatelo for his arrogant self-assessment of his condition, which led to the tragic accident. She emphasized the love Mrs. Dixon’s family had for her and the impact her loss has had on them. The judge also highlighted that the car Manyatelo was driving had serious defects that would have caused it to fail an MOT test.
The court heard that Manyatelo was driving at excessive speed in a 20mph zone after inhaling nitrous oxide, which caused him to veer onto the opposing carriageway and strike Mrs. Dixon. Despite the impact projecting her several meters down the road, Manyatelo did not stop or slow down after the collision. Police officers found deflated balloons and a nitrous oxide canister in his car, indicating his prior drug consumption.
Although Manyatelo tested negative for alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine, a doctor concluded that he was impaired due to drug consumption. His defense advocate expressed his client’s remorse and acknowledged the seriousness of his actions. Judge Lady Ross banned Manyatelo from driving for nearly nine years and also highlighted the complete disregard for the law and the devastating consequences of dangerous driving that Manyatelo’s actions demonstrated, according to Police Scotland’s Sgt Grant Hastie
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