Banned driver in stolen Maserati who killed pensioner jailed

A man who was driving a stolen Maserati sports car without a valid licence and under the influence of cocaine has been sentenced to 13-and-a-half years in prison after causing the death of a great-grandfather. Fraser Garden, aged 55, was responsible for the fatal crash in Broughty Ferry, near Dundee, which resulted in the death of 74-year-old John Bell, known as Jack, in April.

During the proceedings at the High Court in Edinburgh, it was revealed that Garden had a troubling history with 90 previous convictions and had been banned from driving for life on two separate occasions. On the day of the incident, Garden was driving at nearly three times the legal speed limit after stealing the Maserati Quattroporte from the West End Garage. The court was informed that he had consumed cocaine and was driving recklessly through the streets of Broughty Ferry, running red lights and driving on the wrong side of the road before losing control and crashing into Bell’s garden.

Judge Lord Braid addressed Garden, emphasizing the severity of his actions by stating that he had stolen the life of a man in what should have been the safety of his own property. The judge acknowledged the profound impact of the tragedy on Bell’s family, describing their grief as a lifelong sentence from which they will never fully recover. It was also noted that Garden had never passed a driving test nor held a driving licence, and he had admitted to causing Bell’s death by dangerous driving. Additionally, Lord Braid imposed a driving ban extending nearly 57 years.

The court learned that on the day of the crash, Bell was assisting a neighbour with maintenance work, an act of kindness that was sadly interrupted by the terrible accident. Bell had been a lifelong family man, survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and had retired after a long career as a taxi driver. Garden’s record was described as “atrocious,” with numerous convictions related to theft and breaches of bail, including multiple occasions of driving while disqualified. The judge paid tribute to Bell’s grieving family, some of whom gave moving statements about the deep and irreplaceable loss they have suffered

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