A drink-driving show-off who paralysed a passenger in a terrifying fireball car crash has been jailed for 30 months.
David Will, 29, ignored his passengers’ pleas to slow down as he raced along the A93.
He reached speeds of up to 120mph before losing control and crashing near Peterculter.
The horrific crash left the high-powered Audi Will was driving on its roof and in flames.
Owen Emslie, one of the passengers, was trapped inside shortly after midnight on July 31 2021.
Mr Emslie – who was 18 at the time and had never met Will before that night – was pulled from the burning wreckage.
But he suffered catastrophic injuries and will never walk again.
‘Dreadful and awful injuries’
In an earlier hearing, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Will had been under the influence of alcohol, cannabis and cocaine, at the time of the incident.
Will previously pled guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
He was told a custodial sentence was inevitable but his sentencing was deferred while background reports were prepared.
On Monday, Will returned to the dock to learn his fate and the courtroom was packed with the friends and family of both Mr Emslie and Will.
In a tense and emotional hearing, defence counsel David Moggach said Will’s driving was “completely and utterly irresponsible in the extreme”.
He said Will feels “genuine remorse” over the incident and Mr Emslie’s “dreadful and awful injuries”.
He added: “I do offer his sincere and genuine apologies to Mr Emslie and his family.
“He is truly remorseful for his conduct and that’s reflected in his early-as-possible plea of guilty. I’d ask m’lady to give him credit for that”.
Mr Moggach went on: “It’s got to be accepted that Mr Emslie and his family and friends would be entitled to have feelings of dislike, antipathy and hostility towards Mr Will.
“He accepts all of that. No sentence can in any way reflect or equate to the injuries suffered by Mr Emslie.
“With regards to Mr Will, he will live with guilt for the remainder of his days.
“That burden will follow him for the rest of his life but in no way equates to the burden on Mr Emslie and his family.”
He continued: “Oh how he wishes he could turn the clock back.
“Everybody in this courtroom wishes that could happen, but, of course, that can’t happen.”
‘Nothing can turn back the clock’
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin said there was a “high level of culpability” on Will’s part, and an “extreme” level of harm.
She told him: “Your reckless actions have had a catastrophic effect on Mr Emslie”.
The sheriff said that impact statements from Mr Emslie and his family spoke of the “devastating” effect the incident had and made “utterly heart-breaking reading”.
The sheriff added: “It’s clear from the way you present in court just how remorseful you are, but nothing can turn back the clock”.
She ordered David Will, of Bellfield, Little Brechin, to be jailed for 30 months and banned him from driving for seven years and three months.
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