1st March for FAI into death of Scotland’s champion cyclist, Jason MacIntyre

34 year-old Jason Macintyre was the cyclist who:

• was three times British and Scottish champion time trialist
• represented Scotland at Manchester’s Commonweath Games
• broke Graham Obree’s record for the 10 mile Scottish time trial in 2007
• and was training for the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

‘Was’ is the operative word here, because MacIntyre died on 15th January 2008 in what remains an unexplained road accident at Carrs Corner, on the A82 north of Fort William.

His death came in a collision with a van owned by Highland Council and driven by 36 year-old Robert McTaggart who pled guilty to careless driving and was simply fined £500 and susended from driving for 6 months

Caroline MacIntyre, Jason McIntyre’s widow and mother of their twin daughters, has campaigned for a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) to be held, to account for the specific circumstances in which her husband died.

She has finally succeeded. The Crown Office is now to hold such a inquiry in Fort Wiliam on 1st March 2010.

Mrs MacIntyre is also suing Highland Counci for £500,000 damages for the loss of the family breadwinner. Highland Council is contesting the claim which it describes as ‘excessive’. However, Mrs MacIntyre is a full time carer for one of their daughters, Morgan, who has severe lung damage, has had a kidney transplant and who is registered blind.

While she is glad that at last there is to be an inquiry, she remains angry that it has taken two years of constant pressure on the Crown Office to bring this about. She has concerns about the competence of Northern Constabulary’s procedures in their investigation of the matter, claiming that evidence may even have been significantly compromised by their:

• not having closed the road following the accident
• examining the wrong part of the road.

It is to be hoped that the Fatal Accident Inquiry, which she has so long fought to see held, will bring her the information she needs.