The heartbroken family of a Royal Navy veteran who was killed by a stock car racer who had been drinking before the crash have slammed his 'unjust' sentence.
Marc Fortune, 28, was jailed for six years at the High Court in Glasgow today after killing John King on the A92 between Lochgelly and Cowdenbeath in Fife. Fortune had been behind the wheel of his 4x4 pick up when he ploughed into the back of a Vauxhall Meriva driven by the grandfather on September 12, 2020.
The 63 year-old's car was forced off the road and ended up spinning down an embankment. John - who had served in the Royal Navy for 25 years - never recovered from injuries to his head, neck and chest.
John's devastated family say their grief is still as raw as the day they found out about his death as they branded the killer's sentence as "disappointing".
In a statement released through Digby Brown Solicitors, the family of John said: “The hurt that Fortune caused is unbearable. The impact of the loss of John has never lessened.
“It has been two and half years but we still feel as raw as when we first found out. Fortune has not shown a shred of remorse or accountability for his actions.
“He was drinking. He fled the scene. He was speeding. And he killed John, injured two children and left our mum and whole family devastated.
“We are really disappointed by today’s sentence because to us, anything less than 10 years feels unjust.”
A young boy and a baby also travelling in the motor were left badly hurt, but luckily survived. The court heard how Fortune - who had earlier been spotted swigging vodka at a stock car meeting - fled the later telling a friend: "My mum is going to kill me."
First offender Fortune was sentenced today having earlier admitted to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. Lord Matthews cut the term from eight years due to the guilty plea.
John is survived by his wife of 34 years as well as five brothers, two stepchildren and five grandchildren.
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