Driver killed friend in car crash

Sentence was deferred at the High Court in Edinburgh

A teenager died in a crash after giving his car keys to a friend because he was too drunk to drive himself and could not find a taxi, a court has heard.

Ian Sandison, 18, had been arguing with his brother about who should drive home in Lerwick, Shetland, before friend Ross Sutherland took the wheel.

Sutherland, 20, admitting causing Mr Sandison's death by dangerous driving in November last year.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, sentence was deferred until next month.

Sutherland drove at a "grossly excessive speed" and while over the alcohol limit in the early hours of 4 November.

The court heard the trio had spent about three hours drinking beer, sprits and alcopops.

It is highly likely that he would have sustained only minor injuries had he been wearing a seat belt David Young Advocate depute

When they found there were no taxis available Sutherland said he would drive, although he only had a provisional licence.

The court heard that Sutherland's driving had been "unremarkable" until they got to the town's South Lochside.

Advocate depute David Young, prosecuting, said: "At this point he accelerated extremely rapidly until he was travelling along this road at speeds estimated by a pedestrian to be between 70mph and 90mph."

The court heard that Sutherland went round a roundabout in the wrong direction, drove on the wrong side of the road down South Road, veered back across the road and hit the kerb.

The Vauxhall Vectra went out of control, crossed the road twice, mounted the pavement and hit a stone wall.

'How sorry'

"The impact of the collision was such that the deceased was catapulted into the front of the car, striking his head on the interior mirror which caused a fatal injury," said Mr Young.

"It is highly likely that he would have sustained only minor injuries had he been wearing a seat belt," he added.

Defence advocate Louis Moll told the court that Sutherland accepted full responsibility.

"It goes without saying this was a tragic and avoidable death," he said.

"All I can say at this stage on behalf of Ross Sutherland is that he is devastated his action resulted in the death of his friend.

"He wants his family to know how sorry he is for what he has done and he takes full responsibility for what transpired."

Judge Lord Menzies called for background reports and allowed Sutherland to remain on bail pending sentence next month.