Man admits killing toddler Harlow Edwards in crash Published duration 15 September 2017

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A 23-year-old man has admitted killing Perthshire toddler Harlow Edwards by driving dangerously and crashing into her on a pavement.

Luke Pirie lost control of his vehicle and caused the death of the two-year-old in Coupar Angus last October.

The High Court in Edinburgh was told that Harlow's mother Sara "can't put into words her grief at losing her baby".

Pirie, of Forfar, will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on 4 October.

He also admitted causing serious injury to two other people, a 17-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy, in the same incident.

The court was told Prie had passed his driving test the previous year and was said to be "worked up" and angry as he left his work at Scone Airport in Perth to travel to his partner's house in Montrose.

Multiple injuries

Advocate Depute Iain McSporran QC told the court Pirie was seen speeding through Coupar Angus and had used his mobile for calls, texts and Facetime before the crash.

CCTV showed his Ford Focus speeding behind a line of traffic moments before the crash.

The cars in front had slowed as a Citroen signalled to turn right but Pirie pulled out and tried to overtake the traffic, colliding with the Citreon at about 50mph as it began to turn.

Mr McSporran said Pirie lost control of his car, which spun and mounted the pavement where the children were walking after getting off a bus from Dundee.

Harlow suffered "multiple severe injuries" while the 17-year-old suffered bleeding on the brain and a spinal fracture which left her in a wheelchair for three months.

The other child suffered a skull fracture and permanent scarring in the crash.

'Robbed of memories'

Defence lawyer Mark Stewart QC said his client "wrongly believed it was a stationary line of traffic" when he tried to overtake.

A victim impact statement from Harlow's mother Sara was read to the court in which she said she had been "robbed of a lifetime of memories".

Mrs Edwards said she cries herself to sleep every night and now expects bad news every time the phone rings.

Pirie was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.