Cocaine driver admits killing motorcyclist in Blantyre

A man has admitted killing a motorcyclist after taking cocaine and driving the wrong way down a South Lanarkshire road.

A court heard William McLean, 35, consumed five lines of the drug hours before driving on the East Kilbride Expressway in Blantyre, on 10 November last year.

He struck student Allan Nicholson, 24, who died at the scene.

A judge at Glasgow's High Court said a jail sentence was almost certain.

'What have I done?'

The court heard McLean, from Cathkin, Glasgow drove at excessive speed and repeatedly drove into the path of oncoming vehicles from Motherwell Road in Bellshill to the A725 East Kilbride Expressway at Blantyre near the Raith Interchange..

Five drivers were forced to swerve to avoid crashing into him before the fatal collision at 06:40.

William McLean struck Allan Nicholson head on after driving the wrong way down the East Kilbride Expressway

Prosecutor Alex Prentice QC said 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?"

Allan Nicholson died in 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 pled guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

McLean's Ford Mondeo following the crash

Defence QC Tony Graham told the court he had been instructed to "publicly apologise" to the family and friends of Mr Nicholson.

He said: "Mr McLean's actions that night caused the destruction of a life, but for these actions Mr Nicholson would be enjoying his life today."

Judge Lord Brodie granted McLean bail, but told him: "The offence to which you pled can only be dealt with properly with the imposition of a custodial sentence."

McLean, who worked as a warehouse manager, had a clean driving licence and one previous conviction from November 2010 for failing to wear a seat belt for which he was fined £90.

He was banned from driving and will be sentenced on 27 August at the High Court in Edinburgh.