Driver caused son's death in police pursuit crash
- Published
Craig Melville was 16 when he died following the crash in March 2021
A man caused the death of his only son after he lost control of his car and crashed while driving away from police at speed, a court has heard.
Officers signalled for Craig Melville, 41, to stop after they detected him driving at 137mph in the Highlands.
But he accelerated away before losing control of his Audi RS4 and colliding with a stone wall near Alness.
Melville's son Craig, 16, was thrown from the car and found dead in a field 40m (131ft) from the road.
A 15-year-old girl, who was also a passenger in the car, suffered life-changing injuries. A third passenger, a 22-year-old woman, suffered cuts and bruises.
At the High Court in Edinburgh, Melville, of Alness, admitted causing the death of his son and serious injury to the teenage girl by driving dangerously at grossly excessive speeds on the night of 27 March 2021.
Advocate depute Richard Goddard KC told the court: "The deceased was the 16-year-old son and only child of the accused and his wife.
"They adored their child and were a close family unit."
The prosecutor said Craig was described by his mother as always being at his "father's heels" from a young age. He said: "Much of their time was spent together, often working on cars."
Mr Goddard said the teenager had secured work at an MOT garage in Dornoch after leaving school and had an apprenticeship to train as a mechanic.
The advocate depute said: "He had a wide group of friends and has been described as 'a lovely boy, very respectful and willing to do anything for anyone'."
The court heard the crash caused Melville's car to split into two
Former HGV driver Melville, who has a previous conviction for speeding from 2020, had offered to take his son, the teenage girl and the woman for a drive after they attended a birthday party in Alness.
He drove out on to the B817 and a section of carriageway known as the Ballachraggan Straight.
Mr Goddard said: "At this time two police officers in a marked police vehicle were conducting speed checks. They were stationary at the Ballachraggan Straight."
"They observed the accused driving towards them and formed the view that he was travelling very significantly over the speed limit.
"They used an approved speed detection device which indicated that the car was being driven at 137 mph."
'I started to feel uncomfortable'
The officers signalled for him to stop and he initially slowed as he approached the police car but then accelerated as he passed them before turning onto the B9176 Struie Road.
Rebecca Ross, who was a front seat passenger in Melville's car, told the court: "At the end of the straight I remember he turned right.
"I could feel the car getting faster and faster. I started to feel uncomfortable and scared. He was definitely driving too fast for that bit of road."
She added: "I've never been in a car going that fast. I remember the car snaking from side to side."
Mr Goddard said that police had followed Melville onto the B9176 in a bid to catch up with him, but said he was quickly lost from sight.
As they came around a bend police officers discovered Melville's car had left the road and collided with the wall.
'Loving son'
Mr Goddard told the court the crash had caused the car to split into two with the rear section on the wall and the front about 120m (394ft) from the road.
The teenage girl was trapped underneath the rear section of the car and was in a pool of petrol. She was freed by firefighters but had sustained burns, multiple fractures and internal injuries.
The court was told she had undergone surgery and physiotherapy.
Craig was found to have suffered multiple severe injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ms Ross suffered cuts and bruises in the collision, while Melville spent about a week in hospital.
Defence solicitor advocate Neil Wilson said that Melville was in no doubt about the seriousness of what he had pled guilty to.
Judge Lord Fairley called for a background report to be prepared on Melville and remanded him in custody.
Melville is due to be sentenced on 22 February at the High Court in Glasgow.
At the time of the crash, Craig's family said he was "a loving son, grandson, boyfriend, nephew, cousin and friend".
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- Published28 March 2021
