THE devastated families of two students killed when a 4x4 mounted the pavement to avoid a bus branded pub DJ driver William Payne a "liar" after an inquiry ruled today that their deaths could have been prevented.

They believe that Payne's failure to admit he had suffered blackouts took their lives and are calling for a criminal prosecution.

Mhairi Convy, 18, of Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire, and Laura Stewart, 20, of Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, were in the middle of Glasgow when the green Range Rover went out of control and hit one of the girls before smashing into the other throwing her into the air by the impact.

Both women, who were students at the Glasgow College of Commerce, were left lying in the road at North Hanover Street after the crash in December 2010.

Their belongings and clothes, including a handbag, pink gloves and boots, were left strewn everywhere.

During a fatal accident inquiry(FAI) into their deaths, Payne, 53, from Bishopbriggs, was described as "reckless" and responsible for killing the women in December 2010 and was also accused of lying by not telling the DVLA he had a history of blackouts, which could have stopped him being on the road.

A 100-page FAI report published today, Sheriff Andrew Normand determined that the deaths of both women could have been prevented if Payne had notified the DVLA about his blackouts, had attended scheduled hospital appointment and disclosed an accurate and complete medical history in relation to his HGV license renewal on 2 July 2010.

The sheriff said: "Parts of Mr Payne's answers to the police appeared to be less than entirely frank, self-serving and lacking in credibility."

And he said Mr Payne's explanation for failing to disclose his blackouts was "not credible" and "not justified".

In a statement the girls' families said: "Both of our families are completely devastated by the tragic deaths of our girls at such a young age.

"The lies of one man...took the lives of our two innocent girls and his actions have killed a piece of all us.

"We welcome this determination.

"We would like to thank Sheriff Normand for the fair and balanced way he oversaw the Fatal Accident Inquiry.

"We have waited for justice for Mhairi and Laura for nearly four years, putting our belief in the criminal justice and legal systems.

"We waited these long and extremely difficult years for the Crown to make a decision on whether to prosecute William Payne.

"Their continuing

failure to make that decision has meant we have had to undergo the further unnecessary agony of a FAI, lasting three traumatic weeks spread across nine months of this year. Our waiting continues. That is incomprehensible to us.

"Sheriff Normand has given us a ray of hope in this determination however.

"He twice, rightly, refers to the explicit commitments made by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service that they reserve the right to prosecute and will now review the case again.

"A prosecution and a criminal trial would offer the chance of justice for the loss of two beautiful young women."