A ROSYTH spray-painter who killed a Harry Potter fan in a horror crash had his victim's favourite character tattoo copied onto his own chest as a tribute.

Brian Hampson, 30, of Queensferry Road, Rosyth, admitted killing his partner, Kimberly Robertson, 31, in a head-on collision as they drove to spend an evening at a tourist attraction.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that Ms Robertson was a massive fan of the Harry Potter books and films and had a tattoo inked on her arm.

The court was told that Hampson had the same image tattooed onto his chest as a way to remember his partner after causing her death in the crash on the A9.

Dad-of-two Hampson was banned from driving for four years after he admitted causing death by careless driving near Luncarty, Perthshire, on October 13, 2016.

He was also ordered to carry out 300 hours' unpaid work and placed under social work supervision for two years in the wake of the crash, which also left a child scarred for life.

Sheriff William Wood said: "I am satisfied the custodial threshold has been reached but I'm not satisfied it's the only way this case can be dealt with."

Advocate Susan Duff, for Hampson, said: "They had envisaged their future together. He knows the impact her death has had. He has asked me to express his sorrow and guilt.

"His absence casts a shadow over all they do as a family. They were on their way to an exciting family outing when he lost control of the car, resulting in her death.

"For some unknown reason, Mr Hampson's car crossed from his own carriageway into the opposing carriageway and into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

"He does not know what happened and replays the events of the collision in his head daily. Kimberly Robertson was a huge fan of Harry Potter and had a tattoo on her arm.

"After her death he got the same tattoo on his chest because he never wants to forget her. He thinks about the devastating consequences every day. It is clear he feels intense guilt and sadness. The consequences were catastrophic."

Hampson lost control of his Honda Civic and veered across the A9 into the path of a van as he travelled north to Pitlochry to watch the Enchanted Forest light show.

The driver of the van, Gerald Rogers, 70, also sustained multiple injuries which left him in a hospital's high dependency unit for 10 days and two children in the car – aged seven and five – also suffered serious injury.

Fiscal depute David Barclay said: "They were en route with plenty of time to spare. Witnesses noticed the accused's car lights moving from side to side and that his car appeared to have lost control within its own side of the carriageway.

"Suddenly, it crossed into the opposing carriageway at an almost 90-degree angle directly into the path of Gerald Rogers' van.

"Gerald Rogers had no time to react and his van struck the nearside of the accused's car with a significant intrusion into the accused's front nearside passenger compartment.

"Both vehicles spun round before coming to a halt and both were badly damaged. The whole incident, from start to finish, was over in a matter of seconds."

Ms Robertson died at the scene and Mr Rogers suffered multiple cuts and bruises, four broken ribs, a broken sternum, internal bleeding and a cardiac contusion.

The boy suffered a broken leg and had glass fragments removed from his head. The girl had a fractured skull and needed a blood transfusion after getting numerous shards of glass lodged in her head. She spent five days in hospital and was left scarred.

An accident investigation was carried out and found no defects in either vehicle and ruled out any blame on the part of Mr Rogers or the road or weather conditions.