A speeding dad who drove at 137mph and killed his teenage son in a horrific car crash on a Highland road has been jailed for six years.
Craig Melville, 41, lost control of his Audi RS4 after speeding away from police who had tried to pull over his vehicle.
His only child Craig junior, 16, died after the vehicle struck a wall and split in two.
A 15-year-old girl, who was a passenger, suffered life-changing injuries following the fatal collision on the B9176 near Alness on March 27 2021.
Former trucker Melville was today sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.
Previously, at the High Court in Edinburgh, Melville had pled guilty to causing the death of his son and serious injury to the girl by dangerous driving.
Judge Lord Fairley today told Melville: “While the tragedy is almost unimaginable, you will appreciate that the only sentence that I can appropriately impose is one of imprisonment.
“Aggravating factors are your earlier conviction for speeding in 2020, the very serious injuries suffered by (the girl) and the reasonable inference that, at the time of the crash, you were trying to outrun a police vehicle.
“A substantial mitigating factor is that the person killed was a much-loved family member – your only child.
“That is something which will stay with you for the rest of your life.”
Melville, also of Alness, will be banned from the road for 13 years.
An earlier hearing was told that Craig junior was an “adored” son to Melville and his wife.
The teenager often spent time with his father working on cars and had an apprenticeship to train as a mechanic at the time of his death.
The crash happened after Melville offered to take his son, the teenage girl and a woman for a drive following a birthday party.
He ended up on a road known as the Ballachraggan Straight before coming to the attention of police.
‘Definitely driving too fast’
Prosecutor Richard Goddard KC said: “The officers formed the view that he was travelling very significantly over the speed limit.
“Their detection device indicated the car was being driven at 137mph.”
Police signalled for Melville to stop.
He initially slowed on approach, but then accelerated as he instead passed them.
The woman, who was the passenger, later described feeling “uncomfortable and scared” because Melville was “definitely driving too fast”.
Police tried to keep up but lost sight of the Audi.
Just 32 seconds after Melville had passed the officers, he lost control at a right-hand bend with tragic consequences.
The motor left the road, hit a stone wall – breaking into two sections.
Craig junior was thrown from the vehicle and discovered in a field around 40 metres away.
He never recovered from his injuries.
The teenage girl was trapped under the rear section of the Audi.
She needed surgery and physiotherapy after suffering burns, multiple fractures and internal injuries.
The woman in the car was left with cuts and bruises.
Melville, the speeding driver, spent a week in the hospital but scans were unable to detect any injuries.
Neil Wilson, who defended Melville, today said the tragedy could have “ripped the family apart” but that relatives – including Melville’s wife – remain “entirely supportive” of his client.
“He knows what happened is because he was driving too fast”, he added.
Lord Fairley cut the jail term from nine years due to the guilty plea.
