Former College Lecturer Admits Killing Married Couple in Drink-Drive Crash After Drinking at Christmas Party

A former college lecturer has admitted causing the deaths of a married couple in a head-on crash after drinking at a Christmas work event, leaving their children struggling to come to terms with the loss of both parents.

Sophie Hynd, 33, pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving after her Nissan Qashqai crossed into the path of a Volkswagen Polo on a Fife road.

Jatinder Kaur, 48, died at the scene, while her husband, Satwant Singh, 64, died in hospital two days later. The BBC reported that Hynd had been drinking cider, spritz, Prosecco and possibly a Guinness shot before getting behind the wheel. The court heard she had been described by colleagues as 'pretty merry' and 'pretty drunk.'

A Christmas Party Ends in Tragedy

The crash happened on the B981 in Cluny, Fife, on 19 December 2025, on the final day of the college term.

According to reports, staff had attended a Christmas lunch before continuing to pubs in Kirkcaldy, where Hynd lived. She left for home at about 10:30 pm and was seen to be unsteady on her feet.

But after reaching home, she decided to drive to her boyfriend's house. At around the same time, Kaur was driving the family's Volkswagen Polo while making deliveries with her husband and their children. The family ran the Keystore grocery store in Kirkcaldy.

Other motorists had already noticed Hynd's Nissan Qashqai moving erratically and swerving into the opposing carriageway. Drivers called 999 before the fatal collision, and some stopped to help after the crash.

A Family Torn Apart

The court heard that Kaur's 19-year-old daughter, Parveet, was in the front passenger seat, while the couple's 10-year-old son was sleeping in the back beside his father. The family was travelling when Hynd's vehicle struck them head-on.

Kaur was unresponsive after the collision and was pronounced dead at the scene at about 11 pm Singh was taken to hospital in critical condition. Although doctors initially stabilised him, his injuries were later deemed not survivable, and he died on 21 December.

Hynd also appeared unaware of the seriousness of the crash. The court heard that she smelled of alcohol and did not initially appear to understand that she had been involved in a collision. When told there had been a crash, she denied drinking and asked whether everyone was safe and whether she had hurt or killed anyone.

Hynd, who had worked as a computer animation lecturer at Fife College had since lost her job after the incident and was charged in May 2026.

Children Pay Tribute to Their Parents

The couple's three children released a statement through their lawyers describing their parents as role models whose absence had left a devastating gap in their lives.

They said their mother was funny, kind and always available when they needed advice or reassurance. Their father, they said, taught them the importance of hard work and caring for the people they loved.

Prosecutors told the court Hynd had been drinking throughout the day. Judge Michael O'Grady KC described the offence as 'very grave' and told Hynd she had left 'a dead husband and wife' in her wake.

Hynd wept as she was remanded in custody. She did not seek bail. The case is due to return to court in October, when she is expected to be sentenced.