The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Racing driver Finlay Hutchison, right, has admitted perverting the course of justice by lying to police about lending his car to a man who later killed a pedestrian. Kyle McLachlan, 20, was driving Hutchison’s BMW M4 when he fatally struck Scott Millar, l
Ateenage driver who killed a pedestrian in Dundee told police after the fatal collision: “It’s not my car. I don’t have permission to drive it. I don’t have a licence. I’m f ***ed.”
Kyle McLachlan, 20, was driving a BMW M4 when he struck father-of-two Scott Millar as he walked across a road in Dundee after enjoying a music and dance festival.
Postal worker Mr Millar, 33, died after suffering serious head injuries and McLachlan failed to stop after the collision.
He drove on from the scene in the city’s Argyllgait but one witness, who was in a nearby car park, followed him in his vehicle flashing his lights and sounding the horn.
McLachlan pulled up near the city’s police headquarters.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard yesterday as officers approached him he made admissions but claimed: “I didn’t see him he just ran out in front of me.”
The court heard at the time of the fatal collision McLachlan, then aged 17, held a provisional driving licence which was endorsed with six penalty points.
He had convictions for taking a car without consent, driving without insurance and without a licence.
McLachlan, now 20, of Blacklaw Drive, Birkhill, admitted causing the death of Mr Millar on May 7 in 2018 by driving dangerously.
He also admitted failing to stop after the incident, driving while not accompanied by a qualified driver and without insurance.
A co-accused, racing driver Finlay Hutchison, 21, of Osprey Road, near Piperdam, admitted permitting McLachlan to drive the BMW otherwise than in accordance with a licence authorising him to drive and without insurance.
He also pled guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice by stating to police he did not give the car keys to anyone and had not given permission to drive the car when he had given the keys to McLachlan and allowed him to drive.
Hutchison further admitted an offence of careless driving on September 2 in 2019 on the A923 between Piperdam and Muirhead by driving at excessive speed and on the opposite side of the road while approaching a bend.
The judge, Lord Boyd of Duncanbsy, called for background reports to be prepared on both men ahead of sentencing next month. The judge agreed to continue bail for them and imposed interim disqualifications preventing them holding or applying for a driving licence.
Advocate depute Ashley Edwards QC told the court: “There were a number of pedestrians who witnessed the collision.
“Witnesses in the Lidl car park, some of whom were friends or acquaintances of the accused McLachlan, speak to the accused looking towards the cars in the car park in the seconds immediately before the impact.
“None of the witnesses speak to the accused taking any evasive action.”
Ms Edwards said: “He was not licensed to drive a vehicle unaccompanied and was not covered by a policy of insurance.”
The court heard coaccused Mr Hutchison was a named driver of the BMW involved in the fatal collision.
It was owned by Hutchison Technologies, of Harrison Road, Dundee.
Hutchison had driven into Dundee city centre on the evening of May 6 in 2018 and parked the vehicle, before making his way to several licensed premises.
He sent McLachlan details of the location of the car and arrangements were made for him to collect the keys from Hutchison.
It was also agreed McLachlan would pick up Hutchison later in the evening.
At about 1 am, McLachlan picked up Hutchison from a pub in the city centre and drove him to Dundee University student union.
Mr Millar had been at the Dundee Dance Event with friends and arrived at Club Tropicana at around midnight.
He was seen crossing Argyllgait at about 1.15am, when he was struck by the BMW driven by McLachlan.
Ms Edwards said: “The accused McLachlan failed to take any evasive action prior to the collision. The deceased was in the area of the centre line of the roadway when he was struck.”
Collision investigators concluded the incident happened due to the driver’s failure to observe or react to the presence of Mr Millar in the roadway.
A number of people went to his aid after he was struck but it was obvious he had suffered a significant head injury, the court heard.
Emergency services were contacted and police found him lying on the ground unconscious.
Ambulance staff gave him oxygen and he was taken to Ninewells hospital where it was discovered he had sustained “a nonsurvivable brain injury”.
He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
Hutchison approached one of the police officers involved in the investigation after the collision and indicated he had heard his car had been involved in a collision.
He stated he noticed his car keys were missing and he had not given them to anyone or given anyone permission to drive the car.