An underage driver is facing the possibility of a jail sentence and problems finding a cheap car insurance deal in the future after running over a friend.
Robert Lochhead, who was 16 at the time of the incident, struck the girl after downing beer and stealing the keys of his aunt's car. After being struck, Karli McLauchlan, who was also 16, clung to the bonnet before being thrown under the wheels of the vehicle.
She was run over and the car continued driving for several metres before stalling. Lochhead claimed that he meant to slam on the brakes after hitting his friend for the first time, but panicked and hit the accelerator instead.
Miss McLauchlan was attended to by paramedics after the incident and was forced to spend over six weeks in hospital with serious pelvic injuries.
Appearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, Robert Lochhead pleaded guilty to drink-driving, dangerous driving and having no car insurance or licence. Lord Macphail, presiding over the case, deferred the youth's sentence until reports are compiled.
Mike Page from Hoot Car Insurance Services, specialists in providing cheap young driver car insurance, said, "It must have been a traumatic experience for this poor girl, and now we'll just have to wait and see how the judge decides to punish Mr Lochhead."