Young mum killed in horror Scottish crash after partner fell asleep at the wheel

A young mum was killed in a horror crash on a main Scottish road after her partner fell asleep at the wheel.

Rebecca Tasker, 32, was in the back seat of her car driven by Edward Carty, 30, on the A90 near Errol, Perth and Kinross, on August 12 2022.

Disqualified driver Carty veered off road, rotated the vehicle down an embankment before striking two trees. Members of the public were able to pull Rebecca’s two children from the vehicle who were unharmed.

READ MORE: The notorious Edinburgh landlady who fired a gun and waved a sword at last orders

READ MORE: Edinburgh lifesaving roadside trauma team scrapped as ‘no longer sustainable’

Carty’s friend also escaped without injury but Rebecca unfortunately was pronounced dead at the scene. She suffered two spinal injuries, a severe neck injury and blunt force trauma to several ribs.

Carty – who had been driving for 14 hours without rest – later posted on social media app TikTok that he had fallen asleep. Carty pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to causing Rebecca’s death by dangerous driving.

The court heard that Carty, his friend Lucas Hollings, 19, Rebecca and her kids aged 10 and seven had travelled from Arbroath to Lochinver, Highlands, before making the return journey.

Prosecutor Ruaridh Ferugson said: “During the journey, Carty did not rest and had drove for around 14 hours.”

At the scene of the incident, Carty drove at 80 miles per hour in a 70 zone. The Nissan vehicle was seen to move towards the edge of the road and Carty attempted to correct its course.

The car then crossed over into another lane and Carty again tied to steady the vehicle.

Mr Ferguson said: “The vehicle started to veer in an anti-clockwise direction before crossing the grass verge and a path.”

The vehicle then went on to travel 90 degrees and went backwards.

Mr Ferguson: “At this point, the car collided with a tree causing damage to the door and the tree. The contact with the tree stopped the vehicle rotating.”

The car continued to travel facing backwards down the embankment before colliding with another tree.

Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox

The vehicle then rolled up the tree trunk which caused significant damage and the roof to face downwards into the passenger compartment.

Witnesses rushed to the aid of those in the car which came to rest against the tree trunk. Mr Hollings was able to escape while the two children – sat beside Rebecca in the back – were removed through the driver’s window.

Rebecca was unable to be extracted from the vehicle and was later deemed to have been immediately unconscious due to her injuries. Carty was taken to hospital for surgery to his leg. He also suffered a stroke.

The hearing was told that Carty broadcasted himself on TikTok in September 2022 when he discussed the incident with a woman.

He said: “I fell asleep behind the wheel, but I pulled over 15 times asking my girlfriend to drive but she wouldn’t drive even though it was her car.”

Mr Ferguson stated to the court that Carty failed to take any rest. After Rebecca’s death, tributes poured in on social media from loved ones.

Cousin Alana Dempster said: “My heart is broken.”

Join Edinburgh Live’s Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages

Shellie Lyon said: “She was amazing and will be missed loads. Such an amazing woman and mother gone far too soon.”

Hayley Milne commented: “Such a shame thoughts are with her family and those wee kiddies! She was such a funny wee character.”

Brian Bell, defending, told the court: “He accepts full responsibility, the comment about asking her to drive – he doesn’t remember that. He recalls saying it on TikTok but he doesn’t recall asking her to drive.”

Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Judge Lord Young said: “You will be aware that custody is inevitable for an offence of this gravity.”

Carty, of Blackburn, England, was disqualified from driving and remanded in custody meantime.