A banned motorist who killed a great-grandfather by ploughing into the garden where he was working and striking him with a stolen Maserati has been sentenced to more than 13 years behind bars.
John Bell, 74, sustained "non-survivable injuries" when he was hit by the vehicle and crushed against the wall of a property in Broughty Ferry near Dundee on April 13 this year.
Fraser Garden, 55, pleaded guilty to causing Mr Bell's death by dangerous driving during a hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh last month. He also pleaded guilty to motor vehicle theft, driving without insurance, driving while disqualified, and refusing to provide a blood sample for drug analysis.
Sentencing and Offence Details
Garden was sentenced to 13 years and six months when he appeared before the court for sentencing on Friday.
The court had previously been told Garden entered a motor dealership in Broughty Ferry during the early afternoon of April 13 and took a high-performance Maserati from the forecourt.
He then drove the car at speeds exceeding 80mph through a residential part of the town, almost three times the 30mph speed restriction.
Collision and Aftermath
Garden also ran a red light, travelled on the wrong side of the carriageway, and overtook cars into the path of approaching traffic.
He lost control of the car at a corner at the junction of Forthill Road and Nursery Road, less than 750 metres from the dealership.
He clipped a kerb, hit a traffic island and then crashed through a hedge into a garden where Mr Bell was carrying out some work for a neighbour. The front of the vehicle struck the former taxi driver before trapping him against the house wall.
Court Statements and Background
During last month's hearing, prosecutor Graeme Jessop KC informed the court that Garden had been travelling at 85mph just 3.3 seconds prior to the collision. The car was still travelling at 34mph when it smashed into the property.
Mr Jessop revealed that when officers arrested Garden on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, he responded: "Sorry."
Garden possessed 90 previous convictions including "numerous" motoring offences, and was subject to three separate driving bans at the time of the incident, Mr Jessop stated.
The court was told Mr Bell was survived by three children, 10 adult grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Mr Jessop informed the court that on the day of the incident, Garden had spotted the unlocked Maserati while roaming around West End Garage. The motor belonged to the garage's director.
Mr Jessop explained the 523-brake horsepower vehicle could accelerate from 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds and boasted a maximum speed of 193mph.
