A speeding drink-driver who killed a pensioner at a bus stop before fleeing the scene to head to the pub has been jailed for more than seven years.
Martin Henderson, of Threave Circle, Inverurie, was driving into Aberdeen when he ploughed into the bus stop in Bucksburn on November 9 last year.
Father-of-three Allan Forbes, 70, who was waiting for a bus to go and meet his son, suffered “catastrophic” injuries and died at the scene while 18-year-old Chloe Donaldson was seriously hurt.
Following the crash Henderson, 30, immediately fled to the nearby Staging Post before having another drink and making his way home to Inverurie.
The police later found him there asleep on the couch.
This afternoon Henderson was jailed for seven years and four months when he appeared at the High Court in Glasgow.
He was also banned from driving for the next 23 years and seven months.
Henderson had previously been banned from the road three times before the fatal crash.
Sentencing the repeat offender, Lord Mulholland said: “Mr Forbes was propelled some distance and died on the spot.
“Miss Donaldson has still not fully recovered.
“While under the influence of alcohol, you drove like a maniac.
“You then only thought of yourself. Instead of helping the poor people you had harmed, you fled the scene and went to a nearby pub
“You consumed more alcohol then went home and had even more alcohol.
“You then despicably lied to police when you reported your car stolen.”
A previous hearing was told how oil company engineer Henderson met a work colleague before the incident and were seen drinking in two pubs in Inverurie.
Henderson was said to have had two and a half pints of lager along with a meal before making the 10-mile journey to Bucksburn.
He was clocked at one stage doing 97mph in a 40mph zone.
Shortly before the fatal incident, Henderson was then going at more than double the limit in a 30mph area.
Prosecutor Graeme Jessop said he went on to overtake another car at high speed on the approach to a bend.
Henderson soon lost control of his BMW estate, hit a motor before eventually smashing into the bus stop.
The court heard Mr Forbes – a retired bus driver – suffered “catastrophic unsurvivable injuries” after being hurtled into a nearby car park due to the force of being hit.
Miss Donaldson ended up with a broken nose and leg, which required surgery and seven metal pins being inserted.
Mr Jessop said: “Collision investigators were of the opinion that Henderson’s impairment through alcohol and the excessive speed…combined to cause him to lose control on the bend.”
When Henderson returned home from the pub he continued to drink some lager before calling police claiming his car had been stolen.
But, he was later identified as the driver and when police found him asleep on his sofa at home he was described as “obstructive via his general silence”.
A breath test revealed he was in excess of the drink drive limit.
Henderson previously admitted causing the death of Mr Forbes and severe injury to Miss Donaldson by driving dangerously on the A96 Inverurie to Aberdeen road, attempting to pervert the course of justice by leaving the crash scene and falsely reporting his car had been stolen.
He was often emotional as he appeared today via video link in prison for the hearing.
His lawyer Neil Shand said Henderson accepted he had been an “idiot” when younger and had thrown away any “progress” with these crimes.
The advocate added: “His actions were deeply irresponsible and have caused lasting pain for the family of Mr Forbes and to Miss Donaldson.”
Mr Shand said Henderson had “lacked courage” in the aftermath of the incident.
Sentencing, Lord Mulholland also paid tribute to the “humbling” victim statements made by Mr Forbes family and Miss Donaldson.
He said: “They display the enduring bravery and human spirit in the face of the misery that you caused.”
