Soldier caged after killing friend in high-speed race

A TEENAGE soldier who killed an Army friend in a high-speed race was given four years' detention today.

Stephen Jackson, 18, had only passed his driving test a month earlier when he hit a lamp post near Penicuik, Midlothian killing passenger Scott Wilson, 20.

The driver of the second car in the race, 19-year-old apprentice electrician James Craig was detained for eight months.

Jackson, of Archerhill Glasgow, who was 17 at the time, was on a trip from Glencorse Barracks to buy cigarettes with his friend on January 5 when he began racing with Craig of Terregles, Penicuik.

They drove up to 80 mph on the A701 overtaking each other before Jackson lost control while attempting to turn a corner.

Mr Wilson died of multiple injuries in the crash shortly before 3am.
Jackson previously admitted causing death by dangerous driving at the High Court in Edinburgh while Craig admitted dangerous driving.

Jackson had only passed his test in December a month before the crash and had bought the Ford Fiesta from another soldier two weeks previously.

Today at the High Court in Aberdeen his lawyer Jim Stephenson said Jackson had returned to the scene three weeks later and had attempted to take his own life.

Mr Stephenson said: "He has shown maturity despite the immaturity he showed on January 5.

He accepts full responsibility for his actions and accepts he will be punished today for those actions."

Craig's lawyer Tony Lenehan said: "This is a decent young man ordinarily an asset to the community who on 5th January 2008 was a fool."

Mr Lenehan said when Craig could no longer see the following car in his rear view mirror he returned to the scene to help.

Judge Lord Kinclaven described both Jackson and Craig as "decent" men but said they had to face the consequences of their actions.

He told Jackson: "This is a tragic case for all those touched by it and by the death of Scott Wilson."

Jackson was banned from driving for eight years and Craig for three years.

Inspector Fraser Jervis, from the road policing unit at Lothian and Borders Police, said the case has highlighted the dangers associated with irresponsible driving and using excessive speed.

He said: "This was a tragic incident where a young man had his life cut cruelly short because of irresponsible and reckless behaviour behind the wheel.

"Young drivers are vastly over-represented in terms of the number of fatal and serious road collisions, with those aged between 17 and 25 making up a third of all road traffic fatalities that happened in the force area in 2007/08.

"In this case the twin factors of bravado and inexperience have combined with lethal effect, and the consequences will be felt by many people for many years to come.

"This is a tragedy that so easily could have been avoided, and we would urge any young drivers to think carefully about the choices they make when they get behind the wheel.

"Making the wrong choices could very well end in similarly tragic circumstances