Sophie Hynd, a 33-year-old former computer animation lecturer at Fife College in Kirkcaldy, has been sentenced to six years in prison for causing the deaths of Jatinder Kaur, 48, and her husband Satwant Singh, 64, in a head-on collision in Cluny, Fife. Hynd admitted to driving while significantly over the legal alcohol limit following a work Christmas party on 19 December. She was also banned from driving for 10 years at sentencing in the High Court in Edinburgh.
The fatal crash occurred after Hynd had consumed multiple alcoholic drinks over a nine-hour period during the college's Christmas lunch and festivities. The court heard she had consumed cider, prosecco, and possibly a Guinness shot, beginning at approximately 13:30. After moving to another bar around 20:30, colleagues described her as "pretty drunk" and walked her home to her flat in Kirkcaldy at about 22:30.
Despite being escorted home, Hynd announced her intention to visit her boyfriend and got into her Nissan Qashqai. Multiple drivers witnessed the vehicle moving erratically and crossing into the opposite carriageway, prompting them to call emergency services. According to evidence reported from the court, after the collision, Hynd denied drinking and asked whether anyone had been hurt or killed.
Kaur and Singh were delivering groceries for the Keystone grocery store they owned in Kirkcaldy when the collision occurred. Their 19-year-old daughter, Parveet, was in the front passenger seat and witnessed Hynd's vehicle approaching them in the middle of the road. The two vehicles collided head-on, with other motorists stopping to assist before emergency crews arrived at the scene.
The victims and injuries
Jatinder Kaur was pronounced dead at the scene. Satwant Singh was transported to hospital but died two days later on 21 December. The couple's 10-year-old son was seriously injured in the crash, and a separate 10-year-old child was also injured in the incident.
At the scene, police officers noted that Hynd "smelled of alcohol" and appeared unaware she had been involved in a collision. Hynd was arrested and charged on 11 May 2026, several months after the fatal crash. She subsequently pleaded guilty to the offence at a hearing in September.
Sentencing and the judge's remarks
Judge Michael O'Grady KC delivered the sentence at the High Court in Edinburgh, emphasising the gravity of Hynd's actions. He stated that her decision to drive while over the legal limit had "dreadful consequences" and noted that while it was evident she "utterly regretted" her actions, she would be forced to live with the shame and guilt for the remainder of her life. The 10-year driving ban was imposed alongside the custodial sentence.
Family's statement
In a statement, the family of Kaur and Singh expressed their profound grief. They said it was "incredibly difficult to accept they won't be there to share important milestones in our lives" and added: "We will miss them more than words can express."
Key Facts
- Sophie Hynd, 33, was sentenced to six years in prison and banned from driving for 10 years for causing the deaths of Jatinder Kaur, 48, and Satwant Singh, 64
- The crash occurred on 19 December in Cluny, Fife, after Hynd had consumed alcohol for nine hours during a college Christmas party
- Kaur died at the scene; Singh died in hospital two days later on 21 December
- Hynd lost her position as a computer animation lecturer at Fife College in Kirkcaldy following the incident
- Multiple children were injured in the collision, including the couple's 10-year-old son
