Boy Who Killed Friend In Crash Jailed

10 June 2015, 12:02 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A boy racer, who killed a friend in a high-speed car crash, was jailed for three and a half years this morning.

Boy Who Killed Friend In Crash Jailed

A boy racer, who killed a friend in a high-speed car crash, was jailed for three and a half years this morning.

22-year-old Allister Douglas, who only passed his test two months before, was tail-gating another car when he lost control and hit an oncoming vehicle.

Police experts estimate the maximum speed the corner could be taken, without losing control, was 72 mph.   

At the High Court in Glasgow, Douglas admitted causing the death of 20-year-old Mark McMillan by driving dangerously on the Falkirk to Bonnybridge Road in November 2013.

The judge Lord Turnbull told Douglas: "I accept, of course, as you set out on November 17, 2013 you had no intention of deliberately causing harm, far less death,  to anyone.

"However, anyone who drives must take responsibility if they chose to drive in a reckless or dangerous manner.

"The manner in which you drove that day was a deliberate choice.

"You drove without any regard to innocent road users.

"You drove at excessive speed and extremely close to the car in front."

Lord Turnbull ordered Douglas, whom he described as an "inexperienced driver" to be banned from driving for five years.

The judge said the sentence he was imposing "can not relieve the anguish of the McMillan family of the loss of a much loved son and brother."

At an earlier court hearing, co-accused Aidan Kilty, 20, who was driving the car in front of Douglas admitted careless driving and was fined £500 and banned from driving for a year.

Advocate depute Paul Brown, prosecuting, said: "Both accused knew each other and had departed from the same house prior to the accident."

"The accused Douglas was following the vehicle which was being driven by Kilty.

"Both vehicles were travelling at excessive speed.

"Douglas was following Kelty at an unsafe distance."

The court heard as the cars reached a bend in the road Kilty, who was driving a green Vauxhall Corsa, momentarily lost control and straddled the white lines in the centre of the road.

Douglas who was extremely close, lost control of his car and spun into the path of an oncoming Nissan Pixo driven by Karen Brown.

The nearside of Douglas' car took the full brunt of the impact and Mr McMillan, who was in the front passenger seat, died.

Miss Brown told crash investigators that she saw the accused cars coming towards her at speed.

She thought they were driving too fast and that Douglas' car was travelling too close to the one in front.

She said Kilty's car partially entered her lane before returning to its own.

She was then immediately confronted "side on" by Douglas' vehicle and had no time to react and nowhere to go.

Douglas suffered a skull fracture, a punctured left lung, a fractured pelvis, a fracture of the lumbar region and had to have
operations to rebuild his pelvis.

Miss Brown suffered cuts to her thighs from her seatbelt.

Mr McMillan died from blunt force trauma injuries to his head and trunk and internal injuries to his chest and head.

Solicitor advocate Martin Morrow, defending Douglas, said: "Mr Douglas and Mr McMillan had been friends since primary school."

"He is remorseful and is sensitive to the distress he has caused to Mr McMillan's family.

"He goes to visit his friend's grave, but does so at anti-social times to ensure he doesn't intrude into the family's grief."

Mr Morrow added that Douglas's inexperience as a driver may have contributed to him going into the bend too fast.

The court was told that since the tragedy the road has been resurfaced and warning signs put in place.