A Morrisons delivery driver who was too tired after a night out in Aberdeen caused a horrific crash that broke another man’s back and left him in an induced coma.
Ghulam Butt had began his shift delivering groceries for the supermarket just hours after a night out in the city centre.
The exhausted 24-year-old told a friend he needed a “nap” and was “falling asleep” before he tackled a bend on the B9002 Insch to Kennethmont road too fast.
Then the supermarket van crossed over to the wrong side of the road and crashed into a grey Honda Jazz coming the other way.
Both vehicles were foreced off the road and down an embankment.
Fiscal depute David Ballock told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened shortly before 10.30am on June 16 2022.
Road was ‘contaminated with fuel or oil’
The court heard the speed limit in the area was 60mph for cars but 50mph for vans and the road was “contaminated with fuel or oil” at the time.
Mr Ballock said a witness passing the same section of road before the collision noticed oil spilled on both sides of the road.
It caused him to “lose traction”, although he was able to keep his car under control.
The fiscal went on: “At around 10.25am, a motorist driving at the locus noticed debris strewn across the road and saw steam rising from the embankment at the south side of the road”.
On seeing the crashed vehicles, the witness called 999 and went to help.
The driver of the Honda was “trapped” in his car while Butt managed to free himself from the van.
‘It appeared that he was struggling to stay awake’
When emergency crews arrived, Butt gave police samples of breath and saliva but both gave negative results for alcohol or drugs.
The driver of the Honda, a retired man in his 60s, was assessed as having “life-threatening” injuries and was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Butt was also taken to the hospital by road but was released the same day with only “minor seatbelt injuries”.
The Honda driver was put into an induced coma after suffering a number of serious injuries, including:
- A “clean break” fracture to his right femur
- A fracture to his right hip joint
- Fractures to the back and left side of his pelvis
- 12 broken ribs
- Punctures to both lungs
- A fracture to his lower spine
- A slight bleed to his spleen
- Slight bleeds to the front of his brain
- Various cuts and abrasions
The injuries required surgical intervention.
During the police investigation into the collision, dashcam video footage from the van was seized, as well as Butt’s mobile phone and witness statements were also taken by the police.
Evidence gathered indicated that Butt had been on a night out with friends in Aberdeen the night before the crash.
Data from Butt’s phone suggested he had been in or near Attik nightclub on Bridge Place around 2.38am.
Mr Ballock told the court: “Dashcam footage captured both audio and video footage inside the cabin and outwards onto the roadway.
“Throughout the footage of the accused’s journey that day, he can be seen to appear sleepy, frequently yawning, rubbing his eyes and forcing them wide open.
“It appeared that he was struggling to stay awake.”
Injured man ‘had to employee a cleaner, gardener and dog walker’
Butt also made a hands-free phone call to a friend while driving.
Captured on recording, he made the following comments:
- “I’m just too f****** f***** right now.”
- “We go straight home and sleep, I need a nap, need an energy nap.”
- “Went to Attik, it was s***.”
- “I’m falling asleep.”
- “Also, I need a drink, coffee will do, ‘trip’ shots in it. Water, juice, Red Bull, Monster, anything.”
Mr Ballock added: “At 10.26am, the footage captured the accused entering the bend at the locus at a speed of 61mph, 11mph above the speed limit for his vehicle, where it crossed the centre line into the opposing carriageway and collided with the car”.
The injured man remained in hospital for nearly two months, was left with surgical scars and still experiences mobility issues.
Before the collision, he had been in good health and was a keen golfer and gardener.
He has since been told he will “never be able to walk a full round of golf again” and had to employ a cleaner, gardener and dog walker.
Butt, of Bedford Avenue, Aberdeen, pled guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Sheriff Philip Mann fined Butt £1,275, handed him 180 hours of unpaid work and banned him from driving for 27 months.
A spokeswoman for Morrisons told The Press and Journal: “We are very sorry that this incident took place and understand that it has been an incredibly upsetting time for the injured driver.
“We take the training of our drivers, together with health and safety controls, incredibly seriously.”
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