Banned driver who stole Maserati and killed pensioner working in his garden jailed

A career criminal who killed a great-grandfather with the Italian supercar he had earlier stolen has been jailed for 13 and a half years.

Fraser Garden, 55, had taken cocaine before he made off with a Maserati Quattroporte, which belonged to a director of a garage in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, on April 13.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that he then drove off with the car, which has a top speed of 193 miles per hour, and drove dangerously through the town’s streets.

The court heard that Garden has more than 90 previous convictions and has been given two lifetime bans from driving since 1992.

Garden was seen to drive on the wrong side of the carriageway at excessive speed, causing at least one oncoming driver to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

He then failed to negotiate a left-hand bend and lost control of the vehicle before the Maserati clipped the kerb at the Nursery Road junction, then struck the traffic island before passing through a hedge and into the garden where John Bell was fixing a neighbour’s stairway.

He also collided with the outside wall of their house, pinning him against the wall, leaving him with “non-survivable” injuries.

‘A kind, loving and much-loved man’

When the hearing was called, Lord Braid was told that Garden had never passed a driving test or held a driving licence.

Passing sentence, Lord Braid told Garden that he would also be banned from driving for 56 years and nine months.

Lord Braid said: “At around 1pm on April 13, 2026, John Bell, known to his family and friends as Jack, aged 74, was working in his garden, a space where he was entitled to feel safe, performing a maintenance task for a neighbour as an act of kindness, as he was wont to do.

“His wife was elsewhere in the garden, talking to a neighbour. Mr Bell was in good health and looking forward to many active years ahead of him.

“He and his wife were already making plans for celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary in two years’ time.

“Tragically, that picture of domestic happiness and normality was about to be shattered, forever, by you.

“At that same time, despite the fact that you had been placed on bail at Dundee Sheriff Court less than a week previously for multiple offences of dishonesty, you entered a garage forecourt in Broughty Ferry and stole a high-value high-performance car, which you drove away despite the fact that not only have you never held a driving licence, you were subject to three disqualifications from driving, two of them for life.

“You not only stole a car on April 13, 2026, but you stole a kind, loving and much-loved man from his wife, his two sons and one daughter, his ten adult grandchildren, and his nine great-grandchildren.”

Lord Braid also paid tribute to Mr Bell’s family, who attended court.

The 55-year-old lost control of the vehicle at a bend at the junction of Forthill Road and Nursery Road STV News

He said: “Mr Bell’s wife and some of his children and grandchildren have provided victim statements, in which they speak movingly and eloquently of the grief and pain which they have suffered as a result not only of Mr Bell’s death but the manner of it; of a void which can never be filled; of the fact that whereas you will today receive a sentence from which you will one day eventually be released, they will have to endure a life sentence of pain from which they will never truly recover.

“You have an atrocious record, having accrued more than 90 convictions over the past 38 years, encompassing approximately twice that number of offences.

“Of significance for present purposes: you have committed 11 offences of theft of a motor vehicle; an eye-watering 150 other offences of dishonesty, mainly but not exclusively theft by shoplifting.

“Some 64 of your convictions involved a breach of bail. You have committed the offence of driving while disqualified on no fewer than ten occasions.

“It is often said, because it is true, that no sentence this court can pass can possibly hope to make up for the loss which Mr Bell’s family and friends have suffered.

“However, guidance as to the appropriate sentence to pass in this case is available from the Scottish Sentencing Council.

“There are no mitigating circumstances relating to the offence.”

Garden, of Dundee, pleaded guilty to charges including car theft and causing Mr Bell’s death by driving dangerously.

He also admitted charges of driving without insurance and driving whilst disqualified at the time of the incident. He also pleaded guilty to failing to provide a blood test sample whilst at Ninewells hospital in Dundee in order to allow the authorities to test for drink or drugs.

Mr Jessop told the court that Garden has “at least” five previous convictions for car theft, three previous convictions for driving dangerously and six previous convictions for driving without insurance.

Maserati front view following the crash that killed John Bell COPFS

He was given life bans from driving in April 1992 and September 1998. He was also given a 15-year ban from driving in April 1996.

Garden has also been convicted of “crimes of dishonesty.”

The court heard that on April 13, 2026, shortly before 1pm, Garden visited the West End Garage in Queen Street in Broughty Ferry.

He was seen walking around the showroom and forecourt before he entered the unlocked Maserati.

The court heard that the car’s battery had recently been recharged and the key was in the driver’s side pocket. He started the engine and drove off.

Mr Jessop told the court: “The owner purchased the car for around £70,000 approximately five years ago. When stolen, the car had an estimated value of £40,000.

“The vehicle has been irreparably damaged. The loss is not covered by insurance.”

The court heard that Garden started driving dangerously through Broughty Ferry before his actions caused Mr Bell to lose his life.

In the aftermath of the incident, Garden apologised by saying he was “sorry” to police who told him he was under arrest.

He had been taken to Ninewells Hospital. He had earlier tested positive for cocaine on a wipe administered to him following the crime but Garden refused to take a further blood test.

Mr Jessop said that investigators were able to establish that the speed of the vehicle at the point of impact with the side of the house was 34 miles per hour.

Mr Jessop also spoke of Mr Bell, who died from multiple blunt force injuries caused by the collision.

The court heard that Mr Bell was known to his friends and family as Jack, was married to Theresa and had previously worked as a taxi driver and bus conductor. He had retired in 2020.