Man convicted of causing teen's death in A90 Aberdeenshire crash avoids jail

A “boy racer” who killed his friend in a “tragic” 91mph horror crash has been spared jail and ordered to carry out 300 hours of community service.

Dylan Irvine was killed after a red Ford Fiesta he was a passenger in left the road and crashed down an embankment on the A90 in Aberdeenshire in October 2020.

The 19-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.

His friend Jake Summers, 22, who was driving the vehicle, was left fighting for his life following the crash.

Summers – who was 18 at the time of the crash – managed to crawl 19 metres from the wreckage, waiting ten hours overnight for help to arrive – until someone finally noticed the wreck and called emergency services.

He was found guilty of causing Dylan’s death by careless driving at Aberdeen Sheriff Court at the beginning of the month.

Appealing to Sheriff Morag McLaughlin not to jail his client, defence agent David Moggach KC said Summers would have to live with the fact he caused the death of his friend for the rest of his life.

He said: “Clearly [Dylan’s] death is a huge loss to his family and friends and will still be very painful for them to bear.

“Nobody with any decency about them can feel anything but pain and compassion for his family and friends. That also includes Mr Summers and his family too.

“It’s got to be acknowledged that no sentence imposed can equate to the loss of life.”

Dylan Summers was sentenced on Friday December 29 Joanne Warnock

He added: “Mr Summers has remorse and regrets the death of his close friend – he will never forget the incident. He will have to live with causing the death of a close friend for the rest of his life.”

Summers was sentenced on Friday to 300 hours community service, banned from driving for three years and subjected to a restriction of liberty order for ten months.

On sentencing, Sheriff Morag McLaughlin said the impact of Dylan’s death had been “immeasurable” to his family.

Reading the impact statements submitted from Dylan’s sister Morgan and his mother – Amanda Irvine – she said they “heart renderingly described their pain at his loss”.

She continued: “ I don’t think that the word tragic could even begin to describe accurately what has happened in this case and the impact it has had on Mr Irvine, his family and you and your family.

“There’s nothing about this case that is anything but completely tragic on every level.”

“The impact on Mr Irvine’s family had been immeasurable.”

Sheriff McLaughlin said Summers also suffered serious injuries and had endured a ten-hour wait for assistance following the crash, adding: “There has been a significant loss to you of a very close friend and it is clear the remorse you feel having been the person to have caused that.”

Dylan’s family and friends came to court for the sentencing, but declined to make further comment.

Dylan (left) with sister Morgan, mum Amanda and brother Kian. Digby Brown

Following the guilty verdict on December 1, Dylan’s mother Amanda Irvine spoke out about the loss of her beloved son.

She added no sentence would “come close” to reflecting the value of Dylan’s life or the significance of his loss.

In a statement released via Digby Brown, Ms Irvine said: “Losing a loved one in any sudden event is horrendous but losing a child brings a pain like nothing else which only other bereaved parents could understand.

“Dylan’s absence has created a void in our family that simply cannot, and will not ever, be filled – it breaks my heart that I have to remember the laugh and cuddle of my son instead of hear and feel them.

“Each day I go to work I have to drive along the same road, the very spot, where Dylan died. It’s agonising, because each time I pass it creates anxiety as I imagine what happened in those final moments and how the crash might have been avoided.”

Referencing the role Summers played in Dylan’s death, Ms Irvine said she hoped he would “go on to do something of value with his life”.

She continued: “No sentence could come remotely close to reflecting the value of Dylan’s life or the significance of his loss and while accountability is important I know it doesn’t make sense to rob another young man of a future.

“But it’s not enough to just feel bad or say sorry because what matters is action.

“So I hope Jake sees the outcome for what it is – an opportunity to improve, live rightly, help others and do something of value with his life and become more than just the boy racer who killed his friend.

“I’d finally like to thank everyone who has supported us over the last three years but as proceedings are now over I kindly request our privacy is respected as we attempt to move forwards.”