Driver Jailed for Christmas Day Crash

A driver was today jailed after he left his friend with horrific injuries when he ploughed his souped up car into a tree while trying to overtake yards from a blind corner on a Christmas Day cruise.

Ryan Willis had pal Stewart Myles in the passenger seat when he met other petrolhead pals at a car park in Dundee late in the night of Christmas Day 2013.

They drove to rural Angus where Willis tried to overtake - pulling back in to his side of the road yards from a blind corner.

But he then lost control of his highly modified Honda Civic - careering off the road and into a fence then a tree.

Mr Myles - who has spoken of his anger over the smash - was left with a broken jaw, as well as dislocating one foot and breaking another.

He was left needing an operation to insert screws into his feet and was in a wheelchair for weeks following the smash.

Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court that Willis's car was "heavily modified".

She said: "He and his friends are described as 'active car enthusiasts'.

"They met in Dundee and planned to go to KFC - but realised on arrival it was closed as it was Christmas.

"They then drove to Arbroath via Brechin.

"Kelsie McShane was driving her car at around 55mph when the accused overtook her.

"She estimates he was doing just over 60mph.

"He completed the manouevre just before the blind corner where he came back to the correct side of the road and lost control.

"Witnesses say he fishtailed with the rear swerving out of control.

"The car struck a large tree causing it to turn 180 degrees.

"Mr Myles was left with a broken jaw, a dislocated right foot and a broken left foot.

"He needed 15 stitches to his face as well as an operation to insert screws and wires into his foot."

Willis, 23, an MOT tester from Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of dangerous driving.

Defence solicitor Nicky Brown said: "He didn't know the road but he got to part of the road he thought he knew and went to overtake having been behind the other car for 10 miles.

"It was not a race situation.

"I have warned him it is a very, very serious charge and he is well aware of the position he is in."

Sheriff Elizabeth Munro jailed Willis for 13 months and imposed a four-year driving ban.

She said: "It is unfortunate to see a young man like you in court.

"I've reached a concluation that there is no alternative to a custodial sentence that could possibly recognise the seriousness of this."

Willis's victim, Stewart Myles, 21, said he hadn't spoken to the driver since the crash.

He said: "He apologised to me when I was in hospital, but that has been it. I'm angry about what happened, there was no reason for him to overtake when he did.

"I don't think he should go to prison, but he should definitely lose his licence and get a ban.

"I can't remember too much about the accident itself, but I remember the brakes going on and thinking something wasn't right.

"The next thing I remember is seeing the brightness of the flames from burning fuel before I blacked out again.

"I woke up when a friend from the other car was pulling me out of the wreckage.

"It turns out I had broken both feet and my jaw. I had also snapped both my front teeth."