Student admits causing pedestrian’s death in Edinburgh

A student has admitted causing the death of a 20-year-old pedestrian by driving dangerously and failing to stop after the collision.

Ralph Fairhurst was driving at more than twice the speed limit when he struck Kyle Middlemas as he crossed Edinburgh’s Easter Road.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the collision caused Mr Middlemass to be thrown 10 to 20m (33-66ft) into the air, and that he died in hospital 10 days later from head and chest injuries.

Fairhurst, from Edinburgh, had three points on his licence for speeding at the time of the crash on 19 June 2022.

The court heard the stretch of road involved had a 20mph speed limit.

Collision investigators said Fairhurst’s Vauxhall Astra was travelling at more than 46mph prior to the collision.

Judge Lord Young remanded him in prison while a background report is prepared on him ahead of sentencing next month.

The judge said: “A custodial sentence is inevitable given the gravity of the offence.”

Defence counsel Mark Stewart KC said he was instructed to tender “the deepest and most sincere sympathies of the accused to the family and friends of the deceased”.

He said Fairhurst was awaiting the results of university exams and would have expected to graduate later this year.

Mr Stewart said Fairhurst was aware he had collided with something, but believed it to have been a feature of the street.

The court heard Mr Middlemass had started work as a painter and decorator, but was trained in first aid, swimming coaching and as a lifeguard and planned to seek employment in that line of work.