Memorial appeal for victim of Maybury fatal car crash

Images of Jonny Smith that his mother, Ellen, posted on her Facebook page in tribute

Well-wishers have adorned the grass verge close to where the popular 29-year-old was killed with flowers and messages in a makeshift shrine.

Now mum Ellen McDaid is fundraising for a permanent monument on the site after friends and family offered their support.

“For those people who have asked we have set up a GoFundMe page for Jonny to fund a memorial for him,” she wrote on Facebook.

“Whether it’s £5 or £50 it doesn’t matter, only give what you can, we cannot let his death go unmarked! #JusticeForJonny.”

Police are still hunting the driver of a stolen Audi A3 which caused the crash that killed groundworker Mr Smith at 12.30am on Friday, May 25.

The speeding Audi being driven on the wrong side of the road forced a family’s BMW X5 to swerve and plough into Mr Smith’s Peugeot, causing it to burst into flames.

Ms McDaid also shared photos taken by her eldest son’s 11-year-old sister of the tributes to her big brother.

“She said she was keeping them for memories so she could remember how much people loved Jonny,” she wrote.

“How does a mother explain to someone so young how this happened and how these so-called people are still out there? We need to find these imbeciles and get #JUSTICEFORJONNY.”

Uncle Robert McCallum described an “extremely emotional and difficult” week as the family try and come to terms with their loss.

He posted on Facebook: “This is not a post reaching out for sympathy, this is to try to bring awareness and to try and reach out to those who may have any information, no matter how insignificant or small, that will allow for the arrest of these sick individuals who thought that stealing a car and joyriding was a thrill and just something to do for a laugh!

“These individuals who have carried out this barbaric atrocity (and you know who you are) go on in a day-to-day basis with no remorse, feelings for others, sympathy, or indeed understanding for what they have done and have absolutely no idea the scars they have left behind on a grieving family.”

Mr McCallum appealed to the compassion and humanity of anyone able to identify those who caused the “atrocious act” to contact police.

“We don’t feel sorry for ourselves, we feel most sorry for poor Jonathan who had to endure what he did.

“This is all due to the blatant arrogance, ignorance utter disregard that these human beings showed.”

Police are still trying to establish the whereabouts of the grey A3 stolen from a house in Liberton more than a month before the smash.

DI Grham Grant said: “We remain keen to establish the movements of this car between April 17 and May 25.

“If you believe you have any relevant information then please come forward.”

Anyone with information can contact CID at Corstorphine on 101 and quote incident number 108 of the 25th May or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Those wishing to support the memorial fund can do so at: https://www.gofundme.com/jonny039s-memorialtribute