Nursery teacher’s death on A82 ’cause of serious public concern’

The driver of the lorry – John O’Donnell, 53, from Inverurie – was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work and banned from driving for 12 months in October 2022.

He had been convicted of causing her death through careless driving.

His earlier trial at the High Court in Inverness heard he had driven his lorry from Oldmeldrum in Aberdeenshire to Skye on 24 October 2019.

He stayed overnight and said he had dropped stabilising legs on the lorry the following day because of gales – although he was not trained to do so – before setting off on his return journey.

O’Donnell insisted he did not extend or touch the controls of the stabilisers’ outrigger beams.

But CCTV showed the nearside outrigger’s yellow warning sign, indicating it was unlocked, when he filled up with diesel at a filling station on Skye.

A passenger in a car travelling in the opposite direction also saw the outrigger swing out seconds before reaching the collision scene.

The court heard Ms Morrison died from multiple fractures.

Following the release of the sheriff’s determination, procurator fiscal Andy Shanks said: “The tragic death of Chloe Morrison occurred in circumstances giving rise to significant public concern and as such a discretionary fatal accident inquiry was instructed.

“Chloe’s death was a devastating loss for her family and my thoughts are with them at this difficult time.”