Lorry driver who killed pregnant nurse in M8 crash jailed

A lorry driver who killed a heavily pregnant nurse in a crash on the M8 has been sentenced to more than two-and-a-half years in prison.

Trevor Norgate was driving an HGV when it veered off the motorway just west of Hermiston Gait and into the hard shoulder where 41-year-old Evelyn Brown had stopped her car.

Ms Brown was 34 weeks pregnant at the time of the incident, which occurred at 9.08am on December 18, 2023.

After continuing in the hard shoulder for some 88 metres, the truck ploughed into Ms Brown’s parked car, killing her and her unborn baby.

Norgate’s lawyer said his client had been “momentarily distracted for seven or eight seconds at most” prior to the collision.

The 58-year-old pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at a hearing on March 27.

Sentencing Norgate at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday, judge Lord Armstrong told him that as a result of his actions, “two lives have been lost” and the lives of Ms Brown’s close relatives had been “materially impacted in significantly detrimental ways”.

He added: “The fact remains this is a very serious matter.

“No sentence I can impose can in any sense be a measure of the value of the lives that have been lost, nor provide a comfort to the family whose own lives have been devastated as a result.

“I have read and take into account victim impact statements by Ms Brown’s mother and stepsister, which are eloquent in their terms, explaining the extent of their tragic loss and their difficulties in coming to terms with it.

“As the result of your actions, their lives have been changed radically for the worse.”

He acknowledged the fact Norgate had “accepted responsibility” for his actions at an early stage, and that it was he who called 999 following the incident.

However he said he had “no alternative” but to impose a prison term, and sentenced him to two years and eight months in prison.

He also disqualified Norgate from driving for four years and eight months, and said he would have to complete an extended driving test before being allowed to drive again.

Norgate, dressed in a blue fleece and purple tracksuit bottoms, showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down.

Norgate’s lawyer David Nicolson KC said his client was “utterly devastated” by what happened, and that he will “never, ever get over what he did on this particular morning”.

He added his client had watched footage of the incident but remains “absolutely at a loss” as to how he become “distracted” for the seven or eight seconds it took for the lorry to collide with Ms Brown’s car.

Speaking after the sentencing, Police Scotland Sergeant Grant Hastie, from the road policing unit, said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the woman who died and we hope today’s sentencing brings them some comfort.

“The actions of Trevor Norgate show the devastating consequences of dangerous driving, with road policing remaining a priority for us as we work with a range of partners to improve road safety for all users.”