Drink driver caused teen's death

Watt had been boasting about the speed of his car

A drink driver complained he had damaged his car while a teenager lay dead, a court has heard.

Michael Watt, 36, told his passengers to be quiet as there was nothing wrong with them after he lost control of his sports car and hit a tree.

However passenger Keith Whitelaw, 18, died in the crash on the A947 Turriff to Banff road in August last year.

Watt admitted causing death by dangerous driving while over the limit and speeding. Sentence was deferred.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Watt had spent the afternoon and evening drinking, and boasting about his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice said Watt had lost control on a "twisty" downhill section of road as he headed for Banff.

The accused shouted at the passengers to be quiet as there was nothing wrong with them but that he was in trouble for having damaged his new car Alex Prentice Advocate depute

Mr Whitelaw, who lived in Macduff, had been out with friends on the night he died, but had not been drinking because he was driving.

The court heard how Watt told the group he was the owner of the fastest car in the north east, that he had been stopped for speeding twice, and claimed the sports car could do 180mph.

Mr Whitelaw and his friends had "jumped at the chance" to see the car when offered, said Mr Prentice.

Watt then took them for a fast drive - before hitting a tree and crashing down an embankment. The other passengers called emergency services.

Mr Prentice said: "The accused shouted at the passengers to be quiet as there was nothing wrong with them but that he was in trouble for having damaged his new car."

High speed

Mr Whitelaw, who was sitting in a back seat and was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown backwards into the rear window. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem examination found the cause of death to be neck injuries.

Crash investigators were unable to determine the speed the car had been doing before Watt lost control, but said "high speed would have been involved".

Watt had told emergency crews that he had been drinking "heaps" before the crash. A blood test showed he was two and a half times over the drink drive limit.

'Shame and remorse'

Defence advocate Gary Allan QC said Watt, of Macduff, a machine operator in Inverurie, had suffered a neck injury in the crash and had tried to kill himself by jumping into a river and a harbour since the incident.

He said: "He wishes to express his shame and remorse for what he has done. He bitterly regrets his behaviour in driving his car when he had been drinking and the manner in which he drove it on this tragic occasion.

"He is well aware that he is going to end up serving a significant sentence of imprisonment."

Sentence was deferred until 20 September for background reports.