THE families of two young students mowed down on a city centre pavement laid floral tributes to them at the horror scene on the fourth anniversary of their deaths.

 

Last month the Evening Times revealed that a Fatal Accident Inquiry(FAI) into the deaths of Mhairi Convy, 18, and Laura Stewart, 20, could have been prevented.

The students were walking in Glasgow's North Hanover Street on December 17 2010 when a Range Rover driven by William Payne apparently lost control and smashed into them.

Payne, who was 50 at the time of the crash, appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court in November 2012 accused of causing death by driving while uninsured, but charges against him were dropped a year later.

Both families want the pub DJ, from Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, who had a history of blackouts, prosecuted and are calling on the Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland to help them get justice for their daughters.

Mhairi's dad Alan, 50, of Lennoxtown, said : "This is the first time we have visited the site .

"We have always avoided coming here but we felt at some point we had to and it was the right thing to do, to put some flowers down and visit it at this time of year.

"It is really painful day just to be here where it happened and we will be spending the day with family just remembering our daughter."

Family and friends of both families were united in grief as they tied bouquets of white and pink roses to the railings where the women were hit by the 4x4.

Laura's distraught mum Linda, from Cumbernauld, said: " We have come here every year since it happened because this is where our daughters died.

"It is very painful but it is something I have to do.

"Four years and we are still waiting for the Crown Office to tell us what's happening.

"They have not answered any emails or letters from our lawyers. They are just stonewalling us and we think it is about time Frank Mulholland got his lawyers to do their jobs and talk to us.

"We have suffered for four years and we need him to do his job and give us answers.

"The girls were left in the road to die and they deserve better."

Their lawyer Fraser Simpson, partner at Digby Brown Solicitors, said: "The families have suffered four years of torment aggravated by a failure of the Procurator Fiscal and Crown office to come to a final decision to allow them to see justice.

"It is time for this torture to be brought to an end. It is unnecessary and time for the Crown to do their job and represent the public which is what they are meant to do."

The Crown Office said the case would be "re-investigated".

A spokesman said: "Following the issue of the Sheriff's determination into the circumstances of the deaths, Crown Counsel has confirmed that a re-investigation of the circumstances is to be carried out."