A DRIVER accused of killing two students in Glasgow following a horrific crash has had the charges against him dropped.

Mhairi Convy, 18, and Laura Stewart, 20, were struck by the 4x4 Range Rover in North Hanover Street as they went to do their Christmas shopping on December 17, 2010.

Ms Convy, of Lennoxtown, Dunbartonshire, and Ms Stewart, of Cumbernauld, were taken to the Royal Infirmary but died a short time later.

William Payne, now 53, was accused of causing death by driving while uninsured and appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court in November last year.

However, the Crown Office has concluded "there should no further criminal proceedings".

It said the move to drop the case followed a recent decision at the Supreme Court in London involving a separate case.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry is due to be held into the students' deaths early next year.

The Crown Office said there was a possibility criminal proceedings would be raised again in the future if cir­cumstances changed.

A spokesman said: "It is the duty of the Crown to keep cases under review and, following consideration of the recent decision of the UK Supreme Court in the case of R v Hughes, Crown Counsel concluded there should be no further criminal proceedings.

"The Crown reserves the right to re-raise criminal proceedings should there be a material change in circumstances.

"Crown Counsel has also instructed that a Fatal Accident Inquiry should be held into the deaths, which we anticipate will commence in the new year."

The friends, who were students at the then former Central College Of Commerce, were at the junction of North Hanover Street and Killermont Street at about 11am when the 4x4 ran up on the pavement and hit them.

Pedestrian Mark Hopwood, then 36, was also injured by the vehicle.

It was previously reported that Mr Payne, a bar DJ, was diagnosed with epilepsy after the crash and did not know he was a sufferer of the condition.

rachel.loxton@ eveningtimes.co.uk