Wrong-way drug-driver who killed biker is jailed for six years Published duration 27 August 2019

media caption Dash-cam footage showed drivers swerving to avoid William McLean on the East Kilbride Expressway

A driver who killed a motorcyclist after taking cocaine and driving the wrong way on a dual carriageway has been jailed for six years.

William McLean, 35, took five lines of the drug before driving on the East Kilbride Expressway in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, on 10 November last year.

His Ford Mondeo struck student Allan Nicholson, 24, who died at the scene.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that five motorists had to take evasive action to avoid hitting McLean's car.

image copyright Spindrift image caption William McLean, pictured, struck Allan Nicholson after driving the wrong way down the East Kilbride Expressway

Judge Lord Brodie said: "You drove when your ability to do so was impaired by a controlled drug, namely cocaine.

"For a long period of time you persistently drove on the wrong side of the road. You ignored or did not react to the warnings given by other motorists."

Lord Brodie told McLean, of Cathkin, Glasgow, that if he was sentencing after a trial he would have jailed him for nine years.

McLean was also disqualified from driving for 10 years.

image copyright Police Scotland image caption Allan Nicholson died in the crash

The judge said the victim was a clearly much-loved young man with a highly promising life ahead of him.

Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC had told the court that Mr Nicholson was studying civil engineering and had left his girlfriend's house that morning to go to work.

He said: "Due to the impact Mr Nicholson was thrown from the motorcycle, landing on the carriageway as the motorbike burst into flames."

McLean's car stopped on the grass verge where motorists heard him say "What have I done?"

image caption McLean's Ford Mondeo following the crash

He fled across the southbound carriageway and attempted to climb a wall, however, witnesses chased and detained him until police arrived.

Officers asked him who the driver of the Mondeo was and McLean told them "It was myself."

McLean admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

Defence counsel Tony Graham QC said: "There has never been any attempt on his part to justify his actions or to mitigate his actions."