Driver locked up after killing postman and failing to stop

Ateenage learner driver who killed a Dundee postal worker as he walked across a road has been locked up.

Kyle Mclachlan, who was behind the wheel of a car borrowed from a professional racing driver, struck Scott Millar, a father-of-two who had just enjoyed a music and dance festival in the city.

Mr Millar, 33, died after sustaining head injuries, with Mclachlan failing to stop after the collision.

At a sentencing hearing in Edinburgh yesterday, Mclachlan offered an apology to his victim’s family.

At the time of the offence he was at the wheel of a BMW M4 car owned by Finlay Hutchison, who is a GT3 endurance racer in the GT World Challenge Europe Series.

Hutchison admitted allowing his friend to drive the car when he was not qualified to do so.

Mclachlan was sent to detention for 20 months and banned from driving for five years.

Hutchison was fined £2,000 and disqualified for 18 months.

He must also carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

The High Court in Edinburgh had previously heard how a witness to the collision followed Mclachlan from the scene, flashing his lights and sounding the horn, until Mclachlan pulled up near police headquarters in Dundee.

At the time of the collision Mclachlan, then aged 17, only held a provisional driving licence, which was already endorsed with six penalty points.

He had convictions for taking a car without consent, driving without insurance and without a licence.

Addressing the court, Mclachlan’s solicitor Iain Paterson said: “Mr Mclachlan has asked me to apologise to all the family and friends of Mr Millar.

“He deeply regrets what he did.

“He accepts that he must be punished and accepts it will be a custodial sentence.

“There was a failure by Mr Mclachlan to maintain observation for what was a short time – of course it had absolutely dreadful consequences.”

Mark Stewart QC, acting for Hutchison, said: “He was reckless and his statement to police was to try and escape the consequences of lending his car to someone who was not insured and not licenced.

“That was the mistake he made.”

He said Hutchison had employment, a career path and “has success in sport”.

Scott Millar’s family issued a statement after the sentencing, saying they hoped Mclachlen would “rot in hell”.

Mclachlan, now 20, Blacklaw Drive, Birkhill, near Dundee, admitted causing Mr Millar’s death by driving dangerously.

He also admitted failing to stop after the crash, driving while not accompanied by a qualified driver and without insurance.

Hutchison, 21, of Osprey Road, Dundee, admitted permitting Mclachlan to drive the BMW and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He told a police constable he did not give the BMW car keys or permission to drive it to anyone when, in fact, he had given the keys to Mclachlan and allowed him to drive.

Hutchison further admitted an offence of careless driving, at excessive speed and on the wrong side of the road approaching a bend, on September 2 2019 on the A923 between Piperdam and Muirhead.

SENTENCED: Kyle Mclachlan was driving a BMW M4 at the time of the incident.

Finlay Hutchison was fined £2,000 and disqualified.

Scott Millar, 33, sustained fatal head injuries.