A young father from Scotland is facing 14 months behind bars. The dad, who had a bit of a drink-up with buddies, got behind the wheel and crashed, leaving his friends with serious injuries like busted necks and backs, and then he legged it from the crash site.
Calum Wilmington was out with some old friends at Gryffe Inn, Bridge of Weir, come August 2022. After a few too many, he took it upon himself to drive his four mates home, despite being plastered.
The car, a Vauxhall Corsa, got outta control ’cause Wilmington hit a wet spot and “aquaplaned.” The vehicle spun a whole 180 degrees, smacked a kerb, and ended up on its side.
The 22-year-old Wilmington booked it from the scene, leaving his passengers in a bad way. One of them had his neck, back, and ribs broken, not to mention a couple of brain bleeds, leading to memory issues and sensitivity to light. He’s looking at a long haul with the brain doctors.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard all about Wilmington’s bad moves yesterday, where Sheriff Eoin McGinty laid into him for his “series of terrible decisions.”
Sheriff McGinty told him straight: for what he’s done, jail time’s the only way.
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Prosecutor Michael Cunningham gave the lowdown in court: “It was around 1am, August 28, 2022, Aidan and Dillon Carslaw, Nina Docherty, and Ciaran Docherty were cruising in Wilmington’s Corsa. They were heading towards Howwood, but Wilmington, drunk as a lord, lost control on Kibbleston Road, the car spun out, and ended up on its side off the road.”
Wilmington hightailed it before the police or ambulance could show up.
Brave Aidan, hurt and all, managed to get to a house nearby to call for help.
The cops later found our runaway driver at his place on Horsewood Road, Bridge of Weir.
In the hospital, Dillon got the news he had broken bones in his neck and back, and his brain wasn’t doing so hot either.
Nina ended up with a busted collarbone and a scalp wound that needed some medical glue, and she’s been having a rough go of it mentally ever since.
Ciaran’s neck and back got the worst of it, with fractures and breaks that needed a brace for a few months and walking aids to boot.
Aidan had a cut on his head that needed staples and glue to patch up.
Defense agent Jim Clarke says Wilmington, an apprentice engineer at Rolls-Royce, got canned ’cause of the whole mess.
Clarke says Wilmington is really sorry and he knows just how bad he’s messed up. He’s got his own demons to fight now ’cause of what he’s done to his friends.
Sheriff McGinty dished out the sentence, not mincing words: “You made a string of terrible choices. You had to know you were too sloshed to drive, especially since you were still three times over the limit hours later. You risked your mates’ lives and then scarpered when things went pear-shaped.”
On top of jail, Wilmington can’t drive for 35 months and has to pass another driving test if he ever wants to drive again.
