Edinburgh crime: Novice bus driver knocked over and killed lifelong Hearts supporter heading home from match

Alan Boyd drove his single decker bus without due care and attention by crossing into the opposite carriageway and striking 79-year-old Allan Moir at Haymarket in Edinburgh last year.

Boyd, 35, moved the large vehicle into a designated tram lane without warning and knocked over the pensioner whereby he fell to to the ground and “suffered head trauma with a heavily bleeding wound to the rear of his skull”.

Mr Moir, who tragically died at the scene, was making his way home from attending the Hearts versus Dundee United match played at Tynecastle Park on February 4 last year.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told Boyd, an employee of McGills Buses, was driving the single decker bus on his own for just the second time following his training.

During a police interview Boyd, of Westfield, Cumbernauld, told officers: “I just cannie (sic) believe its happened, I feel really bad for the family, I always have, I’ve said that to ye. (sic)

“That was my second day. I didn’t see him at all, I didn’t see him on the island.”

Bus driver Alan Boyd pictured outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court, left, and lifelong Hearts fan Allan Moir. | Alexander Lawrie

Boyd pleaded guilty to driving the bus without due care and attention, crossing into the opposite carriageway and knocking Allan Moir to the ground causing him to be so severely injured he died when he appeared at the capital court today, Thursday, October 31.

Prosecutor Anna Robertson read out a prepared written narration explaining Mr Moir had been dropped at Tynecastle Park at around 2.45pm on February 4 last year by his son, a taxi driver, who was expecting call to pick him back up following the match.

Ms Robertson said: “The son attempted to call the deceased several times but could not get an answer and thereafter accepted a fare. He received a missed call from the deceased's phone at 5.25pm.

“At 5.35pm, a single decker operated by McGills and driven by Alan Boyd was travelling westwards on the A8, Atholl Place, Edinburgh. 

“As the bus approached the junction with Morrison Street for reasons unknown it began to straddle the west and east bound tram lanes before fully moving into the eastbound tramway prior to the Grosvenor Street junction. 

“The road is clearly signed ‘tram only’ with paint on the roadway, which would be upside down for the driver, there is also keep left bollards at the traffic island.

“At this time the deceased was attempting to cross the carriageway from the south to north within the confines of the pedestrian crossing on Clifton Terrace, which was active with eastbound vehicles. 

“The deceased was seen to stop on the central island and check to his left before stepping out into the road reaching the second marker of the controlled area on the west side of the crossing area before being struck by the bus on its front nearside.

“Impact occurred at 5.36pm with a speed of 16mph [taken] from on-board footage from the bus. The deceased suffered head trauma with a heavily bleeding wound to the rear of his skull and a broken left wrist.”

The court heard witnesses contacted the emergency services and rushed to the aid of Mr Moir and one said the bus driver “must have made a mistake or been confused”.

The victim, a father of four, who lived in the Stockbridge area of the capital, was taken into the back of an ambulance but was tragically declared dead at 6.35pm.

Boyd was said to have provided a negative drug wipe and alcohol breath test to the police at the scene and later passed an eye test.

Sheriff Ian Anderson deferred sentence for the preparation of reports to next month.

Following Mr Moir’s death a relative posted online that he had been a lifelong season ticket holder, attending Hearts matches since 1952.