Police ScotlandA man under the influence of drink and drugs killed a pensioner after losing control of his quad bike and mounting a pavement.
Kurt Kilgour, 25, had bought the Honda off-roader on Gumtree shortly before he ploughed into 75-year-old Margaret Meldrum in Knightswood, Glasgow on July 13, 2019.
The crash was captured by a friend of Kilgour, who was sitting in a vehicle behind filming on his phone.
Learner driver Kilgour – who had earlier downed alcohol as well as using cocaine and Valium – later told police: “I f****d up”.
Margaret, who is thought to have been going to a local shop at the time, didn’t survive despite efforts to save her.
Kilgour is now behind bars after he pled guilty on Friday to causing death by dangerous driving.
It emerged Margaret’s heartbroken husband William has also since passed away and never got to see justice for his wife of 46 years.
The High Court in Glasgow heard how Kilgour asked his friend Christopher Cullen to collect the quad bike for him on the day of the incident.
Christopher did so before then picking up Kilgour and another young man and driving to Knightswood that afternoon.
Prosecutor Leeanne McQuillan then said: “After being dropped off, Kilgour got onto the quad bike and the other man on the back.
“Kilgour began driving on the road. Christopher Cullen was concerned about this so began filming on his mobile phone.”
The short footage then captured the tragedy which unfolded in the area’s Millbrix Avenue.
It was played in court and Kilgour kept his head down in the dock and refused to look as it was beamed on the TV screens.
Ms McQuillan said: “Margaret Meldrum was walking on the pavement close to her home.
“The quad bike…veered right, mounting the kerb onto the pavement where it struck Margaret.
“The passenger was thrown from the vehicle and ran away.”
Two people living nearby immediately raced to help the stricken OAP, who was trapped.
Fire crews managed to free her and paramedics carried out life support, but Margaret did not recover.
She died due to head, neck and chest injuries as a result of the collision.
Kilgour could initially not be found, but was soon discovered near the scene smelling of drink.
He stated to police: “I f****d up. I bought it off Gumtree. I put it into fourth and lost control. I f****d it.”
He was found to have 34mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The limit is 22mg.
Ms McQuillan said: “He disclosed that he had been consuming alcohol, cocaine and Valium throughout the course of the previous few days.
“He appeared to the doctor to be under the influence of something.”
It also emerged Kilgour only held a provisional licence and that the Honda TRX 420 quad bike could not be legally used on public roads.
His QC Tony Graham said: “He appreciates that he could never be forgiven by the bereaved.
“He recognises that his foolish and dangerous actions caused the destruction of a human life. He instructs me to make an apology.
“He will not be seeking bail and seeks to be remanded in custody. A lengthy sentence is inevitable in this case.”
Lord Burns deferred sentencing for reports until December 21 in Edinburgh.
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