Former Rangers footballer Kyle Hutton is to stand trial in 2028 accused of causing the death of a woman in a road collision. Hutton, 35, denies charges of causing death by dangerous driving, and is alleged to have been "unfit to drive through alcohol or drugs" at the time of the crash in Rutherglen in November 2024. A judge at the High Court in Glasgow set the trial for 7 February 2028.
The collision occurred in Farmeloan Road, Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, on 2 November 2024. Cairns died from her injuries four days later.
Hutton, who played for Rangers between 2010 and 2015 and whose other clubs included St Mirren, Dumbarton and Partick Thistle, remains on bail. He is charged with failing to co-operate with breath and drug tests and not providing two specimens of breath.
Hutton faces a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. The charges include going at excessive speed for the conditions and not seeing the pedestrian. Prosecutors say Hutton failed to carry out “proper observations” and did not detect Cairns standing on the road; he is alleged to have then struck her. An alternative allegation states the fatality was a result of Hutton being careless behind the wheel.
During a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow, defence counsel Graeme Brown KC entered a plea of not guilty. Brown told the court that potentially upsetting footage may be shown to jurors and that Hutton's wife is likely to be called as a defence witness. Lord Scott set the trial, which could last about four days.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- A fatal road incident has led to criminal charges against a prominent former athlete, highlighting the legal consequences of alleged dangerous driving and impairment.
- The case involves serious evidential and procedural issues, including disputed impairment tests and potentially distressing video evidence.
- The trial date, set more than three years after the crash, raises questions about the timeline of justice for serious road traffic cases.
Background
Kyle Hutton is a former professional footballer who played for Rangers, St Mirren, Dumbarton and Partick Thistle. He was charged following a crash in Rutherglen in November 2024 in which Victoria Cairns was fatally injured. He appeared in court in July 2025, and the latest hearing in November 2026 formally set the trial date for 2028.
Key Perspectives
Prosecution: says Hutton was driving dangerously while unfit through drink or drugs, failed to observe the pedestrian, and caused her death.
Defence (Graeme Brown KC): denies the charges, pleaded not guilty, flagged distressing video evidence for the jury, and indicated the defence will call Hutton's wife as a witness.
What to Watch
- The trial beginning 7 February 2028 at the High Court in Glasgow.
- The impact of the "upsetting footage" on the jury's consideration of the evidence.
- The testimony of Hutton's wife as a key defence witness.