Family remembers Maybury crash victim Jonny Smith on 30th birthday

A HEARTBROKEN mum has told of her determination to get justice for her son on what would have been his 30th birthday.

Groundworker Jonny Smith was killed in a horror smash caused by the driver of a stolen car on Maybury Road in May.

Devastated Ellen McDaid has pleaded for anyone with information to come forward as police still hunt the driver of the grey Audi A3.

“I was never so proud as when I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy,” said Mrs McDaid, 51. “He was small and perfect with big blue eyes only – just a wee bundle of joy.

Friends and family at Jonny Smith's memorial

“You can never feel a better love than when your children are born. That’s why when someone takes their life from them there is no time to grieve as you need to have justice.

“I know this will not bring him back but your child should not go from this world before you. I will never rest till I see the people who did this to Jonathan punished. Twenty weeks gone now Jonny and it feels longer. You would be so proud of your family as they are all fighting hard to get justice and keep your memory alive.”

Mr Smith died after the stolen Audi, driven on the wrong side of the road, caused a family’s BMW X5 to plough head-on into his car at about 12.30am on May 25.

Detectives are still trying to establish where the A3 had been since it was stolen from a house in Liberton more than a month earlier on April 17.

Tragedy struck in the early hours as Mr Smith drove home to East Craigs from his brother Callum’s flat.

The stolen grey Audi A3 was seen travelling at speed from the Barnton area towards the Maybury Roundabout when it careered along the chevron area to overtake a row of traffic.

The car then sped onto the opposing carriageway, causing the BMW X5 to swerve and collide with Mr Smith’s Peugeot 206 travelling in the opposite direction.

Mr Smith was killed while the family in the BMW, including a five-year-old girl, were all taken to the Royal Infirmary with non-life threatening injuries. They have since been released. The 1.6 litre petrol Audi A3 was later found abandoned in Lochgelly Road, Cowdenbeath, close to the local ambulance depot.

Family and friends of Mr Smith gathered to lay wreaths at a shrine on Maybury Road on Friday – his 30th birthday.

The memorial has been painstakingly maintained by Mrs McDaid and her family close to the scene where Jonny died.

Flags, flowers and Hearts memorabilia adorn the site, along with photos of Jonny.

The family are also campaigning for a permanent memorial and have called for greater safety measures to prevent speeding on the road.

Mrs McDaid and family have met with city transport chiefs to discuss installing a central reservation.

Brother Callum, 26, said: “It would be around about now I’d be picking up the phone and phoning Jonny telling him happy birthday and telling him that he was ancient and winding him up – arranging to go for a few beers later on.

“Totally breaks my heart I can’t make that phone call this year or any other year or have that birthday pint with 
him.”

“It’s a milestone, one you never got to reach. I’m so sorry you never got to carry out your plans, that you’re not here today to be sitting with your family.

“Your whole family misses you every second of every day, nobody slept last night. We love you and miss you – it’s still so unbelievably raw that you’re gone.”

Anyone with information as to who was driving the stolen Audi at the time of the crash can call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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