Teen jailed for causing friend's death by dangerous driving

A teenager who caused his friend’s death by driving dangerously on a secluded country road has been given a two-year prison sentence.

Adam Youngson, 18, caused the death of William Sangster, 19, when his vehicle struck a tree in Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, on 29 November 2014.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how moments before the incident, another car being driven by Scott Neil, 19, came close to the back of Youngson’s red Ford Fiesta.

Youngson reacted by accelerating away from Neil’s car. However, Neil then broke the speed limit to keep up with Youngson, who had passed his driving test four months earlier.

But Youngson - who ignored his passengers’ requests for him to drive carefully - lost control of his vehicle, causing it to leave the road.

Mr Sangster, of Auchnagatt, Aberdeenshire, was a back seat passenger in Mr Youngson’s car. Fire and rescue staff had to cut him free and doctors pronounced him dead at the scene.

Today judge Lady Wolffe ordered Youngson to serve a period of detention. She also banned him from driving for six years.

Neil was ordered to perform 150 hours community service. He was also banned from driving from 18 months.

She imposed the sentences after hearing how Youngson had recently lost his mother and suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which had been caused by the collision.

She also accepted that Youngson and Neil were both “genuinely remorseful” for their actions.

Lady Wolffe said: “This is a sad and difficult case. You will both have to carry the burden of your actions for the rest of your lives.”

The story emerged last month after Youngson, of Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, pleaded guilty to causing Mr Sangster’s death by driving dangerously on the A950 New Pitsligo to Mintlaw Road near to Aden Country Park.

His co-accused Neil, of Stuartfield, Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving at excessive and inappropriate speeds on the B9030 road.

Sentence had been deferred for the court to obtain reports on the characters of the two men.

Lady Wolffe imposed the community payback order on Neil because his driving did not cause Mr Sangster’s death.

She imposed the jail term on Youngson and said it was the most appropriate sentence in the circumstances of the case.