Sophie Hynd, 33, got behind the wheel after a Christmas party with colleagues in Fife last December.
A former college lecturer has admitted causing the deaths of a husband and wife in a head-on crash while drink-driving following a Christmas party.
Sophie Hynd pled guilty to causing the deaths of Jatinder Kaur, 48, and her husband Satwant Singh, 64, in a crash on the B981 in Cluny, Fife, on December 19 last year.
The couple’s 10-year-old son was seriously injured in the incident.
Hynd, 33, wept as she was remanded in custody at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, having admitted causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving.
She admitted causing her car to drive into the path of an oncoming vehicle “whilst impaired by alcohol”.
Judge Michael O’Grady KC described the offence as “very grave”.
Advocate depute Lynsey Rodger said Hynd had been a lecturer at Fife College but has now lost her job.
The crash had taken place at night on the last day of the college term, Ms Rodger said, and staff had joined a Christmas lunch before heading to pubs in Kirkcaldy.
The advocate depute said Hynd, who lived in Kirkcaldy, had been drinking alcohol including cider, spritz, Prosecco and possibly a Guinness shot.
Ms Rodger said: “The accused was described as ‘pretty merry’ by one colleague and ‘pretty drunk’ by another.”
She said Hynd decided to go home at around 10.30pm and was seen to be unsteady on her feet.
After arriving at home, she then decided to go to her boyfriend’s house, the court was told.
At the same time, Ms Kaur was making deliveries in the family’s Volkswagen Polo with her husband and sons.
Other motorists called 999 after seeing the Nissan Qashqai driven by Hynd moving erratically and swerving into the opposing carriageway.
Ms Rodger said: “The accused’s vehicle crashed head-on, which caused both vehicles to come to a stop.”
Others who had seen Hynd’s erratic driving stopped to try and help, with police and paramedics later arriving at the scene.
The court was told Ms Kaur was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene at around 11pm.
Her husband was in a critical condition and was taken to hospital where he was stabilised, however medics later said his injuries were “not survivable” and he was pronounced dead on December 21.
Ms Rodger said at the scene of the crash, Hynd “smelled of alcohol and appeared to not know she had been in a collision”.
When told she had been in a crash, she denied drinking and asked if everyone was alright and if she had hurt or killed anyone, the court was told.
She was arrested and charged on May 11 this year.
Defence lawyer Ewen Roy said Hynd “recognises her actions had devastating consequences which weigh on her heavily”.
He made no motion for bail on her behalf.
Judge O’Grady told her: “You understand the charge you have pled guilty to is very grave indeed.
“You have left in your wake a dead husband and wife.”
Hynd wept as she was led from the dock.
The case is due to call again in October.
