Drunk driver admits killing girl

The court heard Harazim was more than double the drink drive limit

A drink driver killed a 16-year-old girl in a crash when his car hit a wall and overturned in Perth, a court has been told.

Chef Adam Harazim gave Samantha Forrest and her two friends a lift after drinking four or five vodka and cokes.

As he drove along Dunkeld Road on 1 February, he lost control on a roundabout and the car hit the wall.

Polish national Harazim, 27, admitted causing her death by driving carelessly and while drunk. Sentence was deferred.

On the day of the crash, Miss Forrest had been drinking with friends Chad Netherington and Steven Stibbles in the grounds of a school until about 2130 GMT.

They began to walk to Perth city centre and met Harazim, who they did not know, outside a bank.

The group persuaded him to drive them to Bankfoot. Miss Forrest and Mr Stibbles did not put on a seat belt.

Advocate depute Kevin McCallum told the High Court in Edinburgh that Mr Stibbles became concerned about the driving of Harazim as they approached a railway bridge. He felt the accused was accelerating hard as they came to the junction.

He has asked me to express his genuine shame, sorrow and remorse Defence counsel Ronnie Renucci

Mr McCallum said: "The car entered the roundabout junction, but failed to negotiate the camber and struck the roundabout.

"It passed partially over the roundabout and collided with a wall before completely overturning and coming to rest, upright, in the middle of the roadway."

Miss Forrest was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by a doctor who witnessed it and went to help. She suffered multiple injuries.

Mr Netherington was also seriously injured and was found unconscious.

Harazim, of Shields Place, Perth, survived the crash after suffering only cuts and bruises. He gave a positive breath test and was later found to have 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He told police he believed he had been in a fit state to drive.

Defence counsel Ronnie Renucci said: "This is clearly a tragic case. His lack of judgement that night had tragic consequences for Miss Forrest.

"He has asked me to express his genuine shame, sorrow and remorse."