Boy racer who crashed into Kirkintilloch living room jailed
A boy racer who crashed his car into the living room of a house and put two members of a family in hospital has been jailed for 18 months.
A boy racer who crashed his car into the living room of a house and put two members of a family in hospital has been jailed for 18 months. Ross Aitken, 23, ploughed his car into the house in Kirkintilloch when he lost control of the car driving at speeds of thought to be around 50 mph. Lindy Wright and a 13-year-old girl in the house had to be treated in hospital for injuries and the total cost of damage was £41,217. Aitken, from Kirkintilloch, pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to driving dangerously on October 27, 2014, driving at excessive speed, losing control and injuring Mrs Wright to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement, and the schoolgirl to her injury. Passing sentence sheriff Martin Jones QC said: “Young drivers have to understand that they bear the same responsibility as any other road user. "Where this type of driving arises the court has to take steps to ensure everyone who drives on the road knows then they cause severe injury by dangerous driving then the consequences for the driver will be serious and significant." He added that a custodial sentence was the “only appropriate sentence” and also disqualified Aitken from driving for three years. He also has to sit an extended driving test again before getting his licence back. The court heard Lindy Wright and her husband Stephen were at home and a 13-year-old girl was in the living room with them. Mr Wright went into the kitchen around 7pm when the collision happened - shaking the entire room. The property at Waterside Road is at a junction with Bankhead Road in the area. Procurator fiscal depute Claire Connachan said: “The accused’s vechicle failed to stop at the give way junction and continued across the carriageway onto Waterside Road. “The accused’s vehicle then mounted the kerb onto a grass verge, colliding straight through the metal pedestrian railing and straight over the top of a Virgin Media communications box situated on the pavement.” She said neither the railing or box stopped Aitken’s car and it continued into to the front garden of the Wright home and “directly into the living room window”. As the car crashed into the house it propelled Mrs Wright and the young girl around 12-16 feet into the dining room. Miss Connachan said Mr Wright head an “almighty bang” and saw his wife staggering towards him when he ran towards the living room. She collapsed in the kitchen with her leg covered in blood. Neighbours took the 13-year-old and another child out of the house. Police arrived at the scene and Aitken told them “It was me, I was driving. My brakes didn’t work. Are they okay?” He claimed he was driving around 40 mph but witnesses estimated it was around 50mph. A roadside breath test was carried out and the result was negative. Mrs Wright was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary where she underwent surgery to remove tissue from her leg wound and 30 stitches and after four days was allowed home. She will be left with permanent scarring and indentations around her shin and calf muscle. The 13-year-old girl was treated for heavy bruising and scratches to her left leg which were bandaged. However, she developed a blot clot in her left leg which burst and she needed surgery and was attached to a machine for 10 days to help clear the wound of infection. Miss Connachan added that the family’s personal claims specialist reports that the contents part of the claim amounted to £7,103 and the building claim including structural repairs and temporary accommodation amounted to £34,114. Defence lawyer Pauline McKenzie said: “At the outset I wish to make it very clear on behalf of Mr Aitken that he full accepts the serious nature of this offence and the terrible consequences this offence had for the complainers and Wright family as a whole.” She said since the incident her client - a barber - has been unable to sleep thinking about what happened and said it has been “going round and round” in his head. Speaking days after the incident Mr Wright said: ““I stood up from the chair I was sitting at, went through the dining room and into the kitchen and, just at that point, there was a blast. “This car came through the living room. I didn’t know what it was, I thought a bomb had gone off.” He also said: ““It took me 10 seconds to walk from the area I was sitting to the kitchen and those 10 seconds saved my life. “If I had not got up, I would be dead because the car landed on the chair where I was sitting.”