Off-road motorcyclist hit and killed grandad getting off bus

A motorcyclist who killed a pensioner after driving his off-road motorbike at more than double the speed limit has been jailed for four years.

Joshua Findlay struck David Gow as he crossed the road while making his way home on February 12, 2023.

The 79-year-old never recovered following the collision in the city’s Lambhill.

Findlay did not have a licence to ride his KTM 300-XC bike at the time.

The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

A judge told Findlay: “Mr Gow was a vulnerable road user as a 79-year-old pedestrian with no opportunity to protect himself from your dangerous driving.”

Lady Drummond said at the High Court in Edinburgh that the victim was a loving father and husband who was “deeply missed”.

The judge said that she accepted Findlay has shown “genuine remorse” and was assessed as a minimum risk of re-offending, but added that she was satisfied that only a custodial sentence was appropriate.

She banned him from driving for eight years and told him he will have to pass an extended test before obtaining a licence.

Findlay, of Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, had been out on his off-road motorcycle around 6.15pm on Balmore Road while Regan Shearer, 26, was with him and ahead on a similar bike.

The court heard how both travelled at high speed, going through a red light and overtaking a car.

Mr Gow had been at his local pub and was heading home when he was hit.

He crossed the road after getting off a bus. Shearer, of Bearsden, initially passed on his bike before Findlay struck Mr Gow.

Findlay fell off his bike, also hurting himself.

Witnesses rushed to help the pensioner – one gave CPR as a 999 call was made, but the grandfather had suffered fatal chest and abdominal injuries.

Officers spoke to Findlay at the scene, and he confirmed he had been on the bike which hit the OAP.

The motorcycle was found to have no turning indicator lights or rear-view mirrors.

It had been registered for road use, but was not carrying its number plate at the rear.

Collision investigators stated Findlay had been travelling at 69mph, having viewed CCTV from near the crash scene that night.

The limit on that road was 30mph.

Shearer had been captured on the same CCTV riding while lifting his front wheel off the road.

Findlay held a full driving licence but only had a provisional for riding a bike and had not passed Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) for motorcycles.

The pair first appeared in court on July 24, 2024, following a probe into the incident.

Shearer had also faced the same allegation as Findlay, but he instead had a guilty plea accepted to the reduced charge of dangerous driving.

Following the tragedy, Mr Gow’s son Craig had described his father as a “great family man, friend and colleague” as well as being “extremely intelligent and fiercely independent”.

The pensioner’s brother is SNP councillor Allan Gow, who represents the Glasgow Canal ward.

Both he and Craig later campaigned for tighter controls on off-road vehicles.

Cllr Gow said at the time: “There will be other fatalities, there will be other accidents.

“Victims are often those riding the bikes. Their families are every bit as devastated. There is a problem here.”