Student drink driver faces jail for crashing into jogger and fleeing

Geography student Katie Allan appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court. Picture: John Devlin

Geography student Katie Allan, 20, consumed four pints before trying to drive home from a pub, hitting the 15-year-old on the way and striking him with such force her car’s bumper was ripped off.

She then sped off in her Ford Fiesta, leaving her victim unconscious on the pavement with blood coming from his head. The schoolboy, who was preparing to sit his Highers, also suffered a broken ankle and a fractured eye socket. He had to take two weeks off school and spent months on crutches.

The details emerged yesterday when Allan appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court to admit her guilt over the incident, which happened in the Glasgow suburb of Giffnock in August.

She pleaded guilty to two charges against her - causing serious injury to the teenager by driving dangerously, and driving with 87 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath, more than four-times the 22mcg limit.

Procurator Fiscal Depute Pamela Brady said the collision occurred at around 9pm on 10 August 2017 as the boy was running on Eastwoodmains Road in Giffnock.

She said: “He was out running, as he did at that time, in the direction of Eastwood Toll, and was wearing headphones at the time. There were also a number of eye witnesses in the area. They became aware of the vehicle being driven by Katie Allan, and witnesses describe it as being driven somewhat erratically.

“It was then seen to mount the pavement near to where [the boy] was running and the car then struck [him].

“[He] had no idea of the car’s approach and it is noted that the bumper came off the car at the point of impact and the car then drove forward and left the vicinity.” The police were contacted and Allan’s car registration was given to officers, leading to them tracking her down to her home. When officers arrived at her home she appeared drunk, “upset and distressed” and put her hands out in front of her so she could be handcuffed and “repeatedly asked the officers if the person she struck was okay.”

Mrs Brady added: “She said she had drank three pints and then said she had drank four pints. This has had quite an impact on this young man. It has put him off running. He still tries to go out running but this has had a significant impact.”

Defence solicitor Amy Spencer said: “Katie Allan wishes me to say on her behalf how truly sorry she is for what she has done.”

Sheriff David Pender called for background reports and deferred sentence until next month.