Edinburgh teenager who used car 'as weapon' to kill man jailed for 8 years

• The scene of the hit and run incident in the Gilmerton area of Edinburgh.

Paul Bonnar, 30, was struck in Edinburgh's Walter Scott Avenue in the early hours of June 7 last year shortly after he had been celebrating his forthcoming birthday with his wife.

Mr Bonnar, of Alloway Loan, Edinburgh, suffered injuries to his chest, head and legs, and died a short time later at the city's Royal Infirmary.

Lee Coyle, 17, pleaded guilty to culpable homicide when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh in July this year.

The teenager, of Lady Nairn Crescent, Edinburgh, who was 16 at the time, struck Mr Bonnar with the car, trapped him under the vehicle and continued to drive over him, causing the fatal injuries.

The court heard the incident came after Mr Bonnar was involved in a row with another man in which he was punched.

The other man had been with a group when Mr Bonnar was hit in the face.

Some members of the group later got into the stolen Mitsubishi Evo Coyle was driving.

Mr Bonnar, who had run off after being attacked, was injured by the car a short time later.

Unemployed Coyle - who has four previous convictions including two for road traffic offences - was sentenced to eight years and six months at the High Court in Inverness today.

In a sentencing statement, Lord Matthews said: "For a young man you have amassed a bad record for offences involving the use of motor vehicles. In particular, you have been convicted on three previous occasions of driving dangerously, one of those occasions encompassing two such contraventions.

"On June 6 2009, while on bail, you stole a car. Later you drove it dangerously along Leith Walk and London Road in Edinburgh driving at speeds between 50 and 60 mph, weaving through traffic and going through a red light.

"Worst of all you assaulted Paul Bonnar by driving the stolen car at him, knocking him to the ground and then driving over him - in other words you used the car as a weapon which brought about his death.

"Not content with that you drove off from the scene and later denied all knowledge of the incident when asked who had been driving. As if this were not bad enough, you were driving while disqualified and, of course, without insurance."

Coyle was also disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for 10 years until he passes the "extended test of competence to drive", Lord Matthews said.

At the time of Mr Bonnar's death, his relatives paid tribute to him.

In a statement, the family said: "Paul was a loving husband, father, son and brother, and his sudden death in such tragic and sudden circumstances was a shock to us all.

"He was taken from us at far too early an age but we hold in our hearts the happy memories that we all shared.

"We remember Paul as a gentle-natured and loving, caring man. He touched the hearts of all who knew him and was much loved by us all."

Coyle had also pleaded guilty to a number of other charges in July.

He was sentenced for these offences today, which included stealing the car, driving without a licence or insurance, driving at up to 60mph in a 30mph zone and failing to stop after an accident.