British former college lecturer Sophie Hynd has pleaded guilty of killing an Indian-origin couple in a head-on crash while drink-driving home from a Christmas party.Hynd, 33, admitted at the High Court in Edinburgh that her driving caused the deaths of Satwant Singh, 64, and his wife Jatinder Kaur, 48, on the B981 in Cluny, Fife, on December 19 last year, BBC reported.The couple’s 10-year-old son was seriously injured. Their 19-year-old daughter, Parveet, was also in the family’s Volkswagen Polo when it collided with Hynd’s Nissan Qashqai.The crash followed a Christmas lunch and drinks held on the final day of the college term. Hynd had consumed cider, spritz, Prosecco and possibly a Guinness shot before leaving for home at about 10.30 pm.A colleague described her as “pretty merry”, while another said she appeared “pretty drunk”. Witnesses later saw her vehicle swerving and crossing into the opposite lane before it struck the Polo.Drivers who saw the erratic driving called emergency services and stopped to help. Police said Hynd smelled of alcohol and appeared not to realise she had been involved in a collision.Kaur, who was driving, died at the scene. Singh was taken to hospital but died two days later.The family ran the Keystore grocery shop in Kirkcaldy. Their son had been sleeping in the back seat beside his father when the crash occurred.Hynd, from Kirkcaldy, previously taught computer animation at Fife College. She lost her job after the collision and was charged in May this year.Her lawyer, Ewen Roy, said Hynd recognised the “devastating consequences” of her actions and was deeply affected by them.Judge Michael O’Grady KC told her the offence was “very grave indeed”.“You have left in your wake a dead husband and wife,” he said.In a statement, the family said they were finding it difficult to accept that Kaur and Singh would not be present for future milestones.“Mum was always there for us, whether we needed her advice, reassurance or someone to talk to, she always made things better,” they said.“Nothing was ever too much trouble for Dad, he loved Mum and us more than anything.”Hynd was remanded in custody. The case is due to return to court in October.
