A man killed a woman who was concerned about how he was treating his partner.
Ian Edwards reversed his car while the passenger door was still open and hit mum-of-four Nicola Kirk. The 37-year-old - who had earlier taken cocaine and alcohol - then fled the scene before phoning police lying he had drove off as he had been threatened.
Nicola, 45, tragically died from head injuries following the incident at a car park in Whitesands, Dumfries on May 12 2021. Edwards had been due to stand trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
But, he instead pled guilty today to the charge of culpable homicide that he faced. Edwards - who had 26 previous convictions and was freed on bail just a month before the killing - was today jailed for seven years and two months by judge Lady Carmichael.
The court heard how Edwards drove there that night to collect his partner Lesley Murdoch. The Dockhead car park was close to a nearby snooker club.
The couple had intended to resolve a row they had earlier that day. But, prosecutor Chris Macintosh said they ended up getting into another argument.
Nicola and her friend Chantelle Aitken, 26, heard what was happening and took "umbrage" at the way Edwards was speaking to his partner. Edwards called the pair derogatory names and appeared to be "smiling at and goading" them.
The women followed him towards his motor - one yelled at him: "If you want to hit a woman, hit me." Raging Edwards got back into his car and his partner got beside him - but the passenger door remained open.
Mr Macintosh then said: "Within three seconds, Edwards reversed at speed and in an erratic manner. The open door struck Nicola Kirk and Chantelle Aitken, who were effectively trapped.
"Both fell to the ground. Chantelle got up, but Nicola did not. Edwards drove off at speed."
Nicola - also a grandmother from Dumfries - was found lying in a pool of blood. She was rushed to hospital, but sadly never recovered.
Her friend Chantelle meantime suffered injuries to her back and elbow. Dad-of-five Edwards, of Dumfries, later called police himself to state he had "hit a female" and had drove off as he had been "threatened with a knife".
On later being arrested, he stated: "Don't tell me something happened to her. I need to see my lawyer." The court heard today that the thug now accepted he was not threatened that night.
Iain Paterson, defending, said Edwards had not realised the victim was so close to his car when he reversed.
The lawyer added: "This was short piece of driving that has caused such a significant outcome."
Lady Carmichael said the jail-term would have been eight years, but for the guilty plea.
The judge told Edwards: "Within three seconds of Nicola Kirk and Chantelle Aitken arriving at the side of the car, you reversed at speed plainly as a reaction to their approach and with the door still open. The speed of you manoeuvre was apparent from footage, was a highly dangerous thing to do and it has had the most terrible consequences."
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