Crash survivor realised minibus was on wrong side of road

A survivor of a crash that claimed five lives has told a court he realised their vehicle was on the wrong carriageway before "a terrible impact".

Alfredo Ciociola, 50, denies causing the deaths of Audrey Appleby, Edward Reid, Evalyn Collie, Frances Saliba and Lorenzo Ciociola by driving dangerously on the A96 near Keith in July 2018.

Francesco Patane was a passenger in Mr Ciociola's minibus.

He told the High Court in Edinburgh he shouted just before the crash.

Mr Patane was a front seat passenger as they travelled with their wives and the driver's two young sons, Lorenzo and Frederico, aged four and three, towards Inverness on a touring holiday of Scotland when the collision took place.

Mr Patane, 74, said Mr Ciociola had seemed "relaxed and perfectly fine at the wheel" but he did have concerns about the road, including a lot of bends.

Advocate depute Derick Nelson, prosecuting, asked him if there was anything about the manner of driving that gave him any cause for concern as they headed towards Inverness from Stonehaven and he replied: "No, never, no worries."

But prior to the collision Mr Patane, who gave his evidence through an Italian interpreter, said he appreciated that the vehicle was in the wrong carriageway.

The prosecutor asked if he said anything to Mr Ciociola and he said: "There was no time for that. I shouted. I shouted because I saw the lights of the car coming. It was a terrible impact, that's why I shouted."

Mr Patane was asked if Mr Ciociola had reacted in any way to his shout and said: "There was no time. There was not enough time for that."

He said that after the collision his wife Frances Saliba, 63, was not responding.

She was later placed on a stretcher after the emergency services arrived but did not look like she was alive, he added.

Italian Mr Ciociola has denied causing the deaths of his son Lorenzo Ciociola, Frances Saliba, Edward Reid, Audrey Appleby and Evalyn Collie.

Mr Ciociola's wife Concetta Passanisi, who was also a passenger in the minibus he was driving, also suffered injuries that were severe, permanently disfiguring and will cause permanent impairment.

Jurors were told in agreed evidence that she was treated at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary until 24 September 2018.

She remained unconscious throughout. She was subsequently flown back to a hospital in Italy and later regained consciousness, but suffered significant memory loss.

Mr Patane, a retired chemical plant technician who now lives in Malta, said the holidaymakers had planned an itinerary for their tour of Scotland before flying from Sicily to Edinburgh.

They had intended to travel north from the Scottish capital to see Dunnottar Castle, near Stonehaven, and then on to Inverness.

They had then planned to take in Orkney, Argyll and Loch Lomond before returning to Edinburgh with Mr Ciociola as driver of their hire vehicle.

They left their hotel in Edinburgh about 09:00 on 26 July and stopped at a castle before travelling on to Dunnottar and then having food in Stonehaven.

They then set off for Inverness from Stonehaven about 21:00, when Mr Patane said there was still a lit bit of light in the sky but it was already getting dark.

The collision happened shortly before midnight.

The trial before Lord Mulholland continues next week.