A mum was left with “life-threatening” injuries in intensive care after a horrific crash caused by a driver who skipped a red light.
Rachel Ward, 33, suffered a collapsed lung, a broken pelvis and now has a heart murmur after Scott Fairweather collided with her car in Forfar last November.
Fairweather, who works for a company that makes masks for the NHS, took his girlfriend’s blue Vauxhall Corsa for a joyride before crashing into Miss Ward’s Corsa at speed on North Street in the early hours of November 15.
Shocking CCTV footage played to Dundee Sheriff Court showed Miss Ward’s car being propelled 15 metres across the road and into a traffic light.
Fairweather suffered a broken leg after the smash but still managed to run away from police while trying to disguise his appearance.
The 28-year-old pled guilty to causing Miss Ward serious injury through dangerous driving.
‘My son was left without a mum for weeks’
Miss Ward, of Forfar, spent two weeks in Ninewells Hospital and hopes Fairweather is given a lengthy jail sentence.
She said: “My son was left without a mum for weeks.
“I’m still suffering today. I think it’s disgusting what he’s done and the fact he’s still out on bail.
“I worry when I’m back at that road, I worry when there’s a green light that somebody is going to hit me. I’ve had night terrors, I’ve had flashbacks.
“I stopped breathing in hospital and had to be put into the high dependency unit so I was in a really bad way.
“Thankfully, I’m making a recovery and the Forfar community have given me brilliant support.
“I want justice for what happened and he should get jailed. He left me for dead.”
Car hurled forward 15 metres
The court heard how Fairweather, of Easterbank, Forfar, had taken his friend, Lennon Russell, for a joyride in his partner’s car without her knowledge.
Fiscal depute Kirsten Letford said: “Miss Ward went through the lights and the offside of her vehicle was struck at speed by the front of the blue Corsa driven by the accused.
“The accused drove through a red light and the impact of the collision projected her 15 metres north to North Street, mounting a kerb and striking a traffic light pole. This caused it to bend at a 45 degree angle.
“The accused’s vehicle was projected further and crashed into a wall. There was significant damage to the vehicles. The accused and his friend then ran off towards North Street.”
Police later arrived at the scene with Miss Ward having to be cut free from her car by firefighters. It was revealed how she suffered a fractured pelvis, a collapsed lung, broken ribs and had to spend time in intensive care due to her “life-threatening” injuries.
Fairweather was seen trying to disguise his T-shirt after being spotted with Mr Russell by police on East High Street at 1.15am.
The pair ran off but Fairweather went to his partner’s home on Strathmore Avenue where officers were waiting for him.
He extended his arms and said: “Take it you are looking for me?”
Tried to blame his friend
Fairweather’s partner confirmed that she did not give him permission to take her car. He initially told officers that Mr Russell was responsible, saying: “It was my mate, he crashed the car with me in it.”
DNA evidence proved Fairweather was the driver.
Fairweather pled guilty to taking and driving his girlfriend’s car without consent on November 15 before causing Miss Ward serious injury driving at speed, failing to observe a red light and colliding with her car.
He admitted running from the scene, removing his t-shirt to disguise his appearance and running away from police in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice.
Solicitor Douglas Thomson opted to reserve mitigation until the preparation of social work reports. Sheriff Richard McFarlane deferred sentence on Fairweather until April and disqualified him from driving in the interim.
His bail order was allowed to continue.
