‘Significant jail time’ warning to Grantown drug and drink driver who crashed on A95
A motorist was warned he faced a ‘significant jail sentence’ after causing a spectacular one vehicle crash while under the influence of alcohol and drugs and seriously injuring himself and his passenger.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told on Tuesday that 23 year old Jay Milne of Chapel Court, Grantown, had two previous drug driving convictions and was at the wheel of the borrowed high performance Mercedes while having been previously disqualified.
When Milne was interviewed by police after the May 20, 2023 crash on the A95 near Kinveachy, he told them: "Me - no licence, no insurance, I am f...ed."
The car failed to negotiate a bend, crashed through a fence and rolled down a steep embankment before hitting a tree, fiscal depute Pauline Gair said.
The car was crushed on all four sides and its roof but both men survived.
The court heard that Milne had met the owner of the car, Timothy Kumar, at Aviemore nightclub The Vault.
Both had been drinking and Milne had taken cocaine before being offered the keys to drive in the early hours.
Police were alerted to the crash in a phone call, and attended with the emergency services.
Ms Gair said: "Mr Kumar had life-threatening injuries and was non-responsive. He suffered multiple fractures and a punctured lung.
“The accused had a bleed to the brain and was put in a medically induced coma due to a fractured skull.
Mr Kumar, who later declined to co-operate with the investigation, said to police at the time: "I met someone I think his name began with a J and offered him my keys to drive."
Milne admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, without insurance or a licence, while under the under the influence of alcohol and drugs and also while disqualified.
He had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood - 94 milligrams when the safe maximum is 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood and 89 microgrammes of the drug which has a 50 microgrammes limit.
Defending, Willie Young said: "There has been a significant change in his attitude since then."
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Sheriff Gary Aitken commented: "It's a shame that with two previous drug driving convictions, he didn't change his attitude sooner."
He told Milne: "It is a miracle that you didn't kill yourself. It is a miracle you didn't kill your passenger who was ill-advised in his actions to offer the keys to his high performance Mercedes to someone who was under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time.
"Your actions were utterly reprehensible. Prepare yourself for a significant custodial sentence."
Sentence was deferred until February 20 for a background report on Milne so the Sheriff can be advised if there is any suitable alternative disposal other than prison.
Milne's bail was continued and he was disqualified from driving in the interim.
