Ex-Celtic B team player admits killing teen in drunken hit and run
Ciaran Dickson struck Aidan Pilkington in Glasgow's Anniesland on September 11 2021
Last updated 19th Jan 2024
A former Celtic B team player killed a teenage pedestrian in a drunken hit and run.
Ciaran Dickson, 22, struck Aidan Pilkington, 18, in Glasgow's Anniesland on September 11 2021.
Dickson got behind the wheel after consuming a number beers and cocktails with a friend.
The midfielder later raced down a road where Aidan was crossing and dragged him along the ground.
The ex-Rangers youth then fled the scene and abandoned his rented Mercedes car close to his home.
Aidan meantime suffered significant head injuries which he succumbed to later in hospital.
Dickson pled guilty today at the High Court in Glasgow to causing death by dangerous driving.
The court heard that Dickson, now of Erskine, Renfrewshire, was employed by Celtic's B team at the time of the offence.
He went to restaurant Duck Bay Marina in Loch Lomond with a friend in the early evening.
Dickson drank a pint of lager and a bottle of Corona before he drove to a pool club in Glasgow city centre.
CCTV confirmed that Dickson drunk a further two pints of lager before he drove to The Black Horse bar.
Dickson consumed three pints of the strong cocktail venom which was also topped up with an extra measure of vodka.
Whole life ahead of him
Aidan - who was to embark on his first year as a university student - was out with school friends that night drinking alcohol and left the pub around 11.30pm.
He was en route to a friend's house with when the collision occurred on Crow Road around midnight.
Aidan's friend Ben Smith recalled seeing a vehicle a "distance away" and believed there was enough time to cross the road. Aidan followed behind him.
Prosecutor John Keenan KC said: "Mr Smith was walking within the two lanes when he realised the car was getting closer, faster than he expected.
"He could not estimate the speed of the vehicle, but it caused him to 'quicken up'.
"He was halfway into the lane when he turned around to see if Aidan was following.
"He observed that Aidan was halfway into the nearside lane of the road."
Mr Smith stated that a white car struck Aidan when he was positioned between the two lanes.
Dragged along the road
He added that he did not remember Aidan being run over by the car but to "have travelled for around 10 to 15 metres with the car."
Other witnesses described hearing a loud bang and a thud as well as seeing Aidan on the ground.
He was noted to be unconscious with blood coming from his mouth and ears.
Aidan was also found to have an exposed fractured skull, very shallow breathing and CPR was carried out at the scene by medics.
Aidan was taken to hospital where he remained unresponsive and life was pronounced extinct at 1.55am.
Meantime, Dickson drove off at speed which witnesses believed was around 50 to 70 miles per hour.
He abandoned his vehicle and was later found to have ran 178 metres back to his home which was discovered after his fitness watch was seized by police.
Damage was noted the vehicle which is also included a missing Mercedes Benz badge.
Dickson handed himself into police the next day and he was released pending and investigation.
He gave a no comment interview to officers in February 2022 and on June he was finally arrested.
Major injury
A post-mortem examination was carried out which revealed major external injuries to Aidan's head and trunk.
Aidan suffered bruising and wounds to his forehead, scalp, eye and cheek.
There was also a full thickness wound to the back of his head surrounded by bruising.
Mr Keenan added: "Pathologists considered that the injuries to the front and back of the head were consistent with a run over or dragging type scenario."
Further injuries included to the abdomen and pelvis as well as a number of rib fractures.
An internal examination revealed a large skull fracture which was associated with a small amount of bleeding on the surface of the brain.
Pathologists considered that a brain injury might be responsible for the "very rapid death."
Mr Keenan said: "The major cause of death is considered to be severe head injury which is consistent with being sustained as a result of road traffic collision."
It was also suggested that Aidan was not standing at the time of the collision. It is not known if he slipped or fell.
Collision investigators believed Dickson was travelling between 64 and 71 miles per hour at the time.
Drink driving
Forensic scientists calculated that Dickson was approximately more than three times over the drink drive limit.
Thomas Ross KC, defending, said: "Nothing said by Ciaran Dickson can offer comfort to Aidan's family and friends.
"He recognises that he is fully deserving of a sentence of imprisonment."
Dickson's previous convictions include carless driving from December 2020 when he was hit with three penalty points.
He was also convicted of a domestic patter in April 2023 when he was ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work.
Dickson - who was tipped for first team football - was released by Celtic having scored two goals in his first two appearances for the B team.
Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month by Judge Lord Colbeck who remanded Dickson in custody meantime.