Bret Simpson,30, has been acquitted of causing the death of his fiancée who was riding as a pillion passenger on his bike when he crashed. 
Simpson had collected Bronte Hutchison,23, in Galashiels after a night out in August 2018. His Kawasaki bike crashed at the Tweedbank roundabout and Hutchison died at the scene. 
Mr Simpson was charged with causing her death by dangerous driving. He pled not guilty and the jury found the charge to be not proven. 
At the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord Boyd of Duncansby told jurors: “I think it is true to say this has been a difficult trial for many of the people involved.”
The judge stated that they had to listen to evidence which was at times distressing, difficult and emotional. He added: “A young life has been lost in very tragic circumstances.”
The Crown position was that on the 5th of August 2018, Mr Simpson had drove at excessive speeds on the A6091 Galashiels to Melrose bypass. It was alleged that he had failed to slow down on approach to a roundabout and that he had braked sharply which caused the rear wheel to lock and he lost control of the motorcycle. His passenger who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol propelled from the bike and hit her head on the kerb. 
Mr Simpson told defence counsel, Edith Forrest, that when he felt the motorbike ‘going over’ it was out of his control. He came off the bike and became aware that his partner was unresponsive. He that carried out CPR on her. He explained to the court ‘I knew she was dead and that my world was gone’. 
Mr Simpson explained that he was an experiences motorcyclist and denied that he was driving erratically or like ‘a bat out of hell. 
In a statement after the verdict, her father John said she was a “kind, beautiful, wholesome girl who everyone adored. Her death has scarred us all and is something I don’t think we will ever fully come to terms with”.