Whitelaw fined over road crash

Lord Whitelaw, the former deputy prime minister and home secretary, was fined pounds 75 for careless driving yesterday after a court heard his Range Rover was involved in an accident that left three elderly people injured.

Lord Whitelaw, 78, entered a guilty plea to driving without due care and attention before magistrates in Wigton, Cumbria. The court heard that Lord Whitelaw, of Ennim, near Penrith, Cumbria, was on his way home from playing golf when he pulled out at a crossroads on the A595 near Wigton into the path of a BMW.

The BMW rolled over in the accident. The driver, Ronald Weightman, his wife Margaret and friend Marjorie Bell, were returning home from a shopping trip. Mrs Weightman was the most seriously injured, with a broken breast bone.

Lord Whitelaw was also ordered to pay pounds 40 costs and had four penalty points imposed on his licence. He was said to have told police he had waited some time at the crossroads but it was very difficult to see very far down the road because the sun was so low.