Published: Wednesday, 14th May, 2008 12:00
KILLER DRIVER: 'I'M SO SORRY'
By Eitan Grant
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A YOUNG driver says he deserves to go to prison after causing the horror crash that killed his teenage pal.
Remorseful Jamie Ross, 21 is asking for forgiveness from the family of Barrhead teen Christopher Gribben.
The 18-year-old died when speeding Ross lost control of his brother’s powerful Subaru Impreza while taking Christopher home from work.
Devastated Ross said: “I am so sorry for what happened.
“I hope I can be forgiven for what I did.
“Every day I think about it and I can’t sleep at night because of flashbacks.
“I will never get over what I did and I deserve to go to prison.
“The fact that my friend died that day will live with me for ever and doing some time for it is the only way I can move on with my life.”
Ross, formerly of Auchenback, Barrhead, admitted causing the death of Mr Gribben by driving dangerously on April 21 last year on the B774 road at Caplethill Road in Paisley.
Police accident investigators estimated that the was travelling at more than 50 mph in a 30 mph zone in a at the time.
Ross, who worked in a garage with Christopher took his brother David’s car because he was going to polish it as a birthday present.
The tyre fitter, who has been banned from driving, added: “ I never want to drive another car again. I am sick of them.
“I don’t even want to live here any more. Maybe I will go away and start a new life abroad.”
The High Court in Edinburgh heard that first offender Ross (21) had held a full driving licence for less than two years and was still in his probationary period.
He drove at excessive speed and lost control of the car which went onto the opposite carriageway and collided with another vehicle.
Ross’s mum Janice said: “He made a mistake and pleaded guilty because he didn’t want to put Christopher’s family through a trial.
“I hope they can forgive Jamie but I don’t know if I could forgive someone who cause the death of my son.
“Your children are the most precious gift.”
Apprentice mechanic, Christopher suffered a massive head injury in the collision and died in hospital later the same day.
A survivor of the crash later said to police: “I told him: 'Slow down, you don’t accelerate into a corner’”.
Advocate depute Neil Beardmore said Ross and Mr Gribben and a second passenger Christopher McLeese had finished work at a Mazda garage at Saturday lunchtime and he offered the apprentice mechanic a lift home.
Moments before the crash he drove through a speed camera at 30 mph, but then picked up speed and went into a left hand bend on the road.
The prosecutor said: “The accused lost control of the vehicle on the bend. The back end of the Subaru slid out and across double white lines, narrowly missing an oncoming vehicle.”
“The vehicle then skidded side on into oncoming traffic and collided with a Hyundai car.”
The Subaru landed in shrubs at the side of the road and was extensively damaged.
Ross and Mr Gribben were trapped in the vehicle but Mr McLeese managed to escape. Firefighters cut the other two men out.
Mr Gribben was taken to Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley, but a scan showed he had sustained a “non survivable head injury”.
Mr McLeese suffered a fractured vertebrae in his spine and was off work for 15 weeks.
A passenger in the other car Maria Fernandez (72) underwent surgery after breaking a wrist.
The advocate depute said the deceased crash victim had lived with his parents.
He said: “They have written a letter to the court to express their loss.”
He told the judge, Lord Brodie, that he did not intend to read the letter out in court.
Defence counsel Shahid Latif, for Ross, said: “He deeply regrets what occurred on that Saturday afternoon.”
The judge told Ross that he would call for a background report before sentencing him and agreed to a motion to continue his bail.
Lord Brodie warned Ross not to “take anything from that”. The judge said: “This is the sort of offence which usually attracts a sentence of imprisonment.”
The judge also banned him from driving ahead of his next court appearance.
Ross went to his friend’s funeral and visited grave side on the anniversary of the crash to lay flowers.
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