BANNED DRIVER ADMITS CAUSING DEATH IN STOLEN MASERATI CRASH

Fraser Garden, 55, has admitted causing the death of 74-year-old John Bell by dangerous driving. Garden stole a Maserati from a car showroom in Broughty Ferry on 13 April and drove the vehicle at speeds exceeding 80mph through a residential area subject to a 30mph limit. He jumped a red light, drove on the wrong side of the road, lost control of the car and struck a traffic island before the Maserati ploughed into a garden where Mr Bell was working.

The impact pinned Mr Bell against a house wall and caused injuries described in court as "non-survivable". The Maserati was travelling at 34mph at the moment of impact. Garden has 90 previous convictions, including numerous motoring offences, and was disqualified from driving on the day of the incident. He pleaded guilty to five charges: theft of a motor vehicle, causing death by dangerous driving, and three further counts.

Judge Lord Braid told Garden that a "lengthy custodial sentence is inevitable" at the conclusion of proceedings. Sentencing has been scheduled for 21 August. The case has proceeded through the Scottish courts, with the charges brought under road traffic and criminal law statutes that carry mandatory custodial terms for causing death by dangerous driving.