No criminal action against Scots ralliesposted in SRC02 | 12 | 2016

    RALLYING IN SCOTLAND received a boost when the Scottish Government announced it would take no further action against the Jim Clark and Snowman rallies, events in which four people were killed in 2013 and '14.

    In February 2013, spectator Joy Robson was killed while spectating on the Inverness-based Snowman Rally. Fifteen months later, in what was a black period for Scottish rallying, John Leonard Stern, Elizabeth Allan and Iain John Provan — the latter two had media accreditation — were killed on the Jim Clark Rally. The Borders-based event has not run as a closed-road event since May 2014.

    Almost two years after the investigation began, the Lord Advocate — the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters — has instructed that a Fatal Accident Inquiry be set up to investigate further.

    It also states that, unless any new evidence comes to light, the organising teams of the two events will not be prosecuted.

    Related: Three die in Jim Clark Rally crash

    Related: Jim Clark Rally — Police Statement

    Related: Hannu Mikkola — Rallying will never be safe

    "Following investigations into two separate fatal accidents at motor sport events, the Crown Office will use new legislation to hold, for the first time, a joint Fatal Accident Inquiry,” a statement from the Crown Office read.

    "Crown Counsel has instructed a Fatal Accident Inquiry to examine the full circumstances surrounding the deaths and help to avoid such incidents happening in the future.

    "The Crown is liaising with the Sheriff Principal to identify an appropriate location and dates for the Fatal Accident Inquiry to take place

    "There will be no criminal proceedings in relation to either event though this may be reconsidered should additional evidence come to light."

    The triple deaths in the Jim Clark Rally forced the creation of the Motorsport Event Safety Review, which has issued recommendations for improving events that have been implemented in the UK beginning in 2016.

    Today’s announcement was also welcomed by the UK's governing Motor Sports Association.

    "The Motor Sports Association welcomes today's announcement by the Crown Office of a joint Fatal Accident Inquiry into the tragic events of the Snowman Rally 2013 and Jim Clark Rally 2014,” the MSA statement said.

    "The MSA will cooperate fully with the FAI, as it has throughout the Police investigations and the Scottish Government's Motorsport Event Safety Review (MESR).

    "Today's news will give the families of the deceased and the injured an opportunity to find answers to any questions they may still have.

    "The MSA will be making no further statement at this time."

    Related: Nico Rosberg retires from Formula 1

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    Jim McGill

     

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