TikTok creator Leigh Sutherland who posed as road traffic lawyer jailed after killing pensioner in crash

A man who often posed as a road traffic lawyer on TikTok has been jailed after he killed a pensioner in a crash.

Leigh Sutherland was speeding in an ageing Ford Mondeo with unsafe brakes at the time of the crash at the Condorrat Ring Road near Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, on June 15, 2023.

The 31-year-old crashed into a Peugeot 108 driven by Margaret Allan.

The 77-year-old mother later passed away from her injuries. A young passenger was also hurt.

Sutherland tried to blame the OAP for the collision, stating at the scene: “It would not have happened if the f*****g b***h had not pulled out.”

Sutherland was well-known on TikTok for posting videos claiming to be a defence lawyer, dressing up as a police officer and others, including him, reviewing supermarket food.

Leigh Sutherland has been jailed for nine years Police Scotland

He was jailed on Friday after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving following an earlier trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Sutherland was jailed for nine years and handed a driving ban for more than 13 years.

Judge Tom Hughes stated: “It is incumbent to consider the catastrophic consequences your driving had on Ms Allan’s family and friends.

“I identified at the close of trial that members of her family sat through the trial and listened to proceedings with great dignity and courtesy. What happened in these proceedings must have been traumatic for them.

“In their victim impact statements, they were eloquent in their terms and explain to the court the extent of their family’s tragic loss and difficulties they had coming to terms with the death of their loved one.

“As a result of your actions, their lives have changed radically from what they expected to enjoy for years to come – they have suffered a catastrophic loss.

“No sentence can adequately compensate for their sad loss.

“Unfortunately, due to your catastrophic decisions and behaviour, what should have been a straight forward journey to return home resulted in tragic circumstances and death to Ms Allan and injury to her passenger.

“When asked to identify who was the driver of the vehicle, what was your position on that? You came up with a cock and bull story as well you knew.

“You said you advertised the car for sale and a Romanian man took it away for a test drive and while this happened, this unfortunate incident took place. You took no responsibility whatsoever.

“Taking account of the whole circumstances, custody is the only appropriate sentence.”

A police officer previously told jurors how he had been in the area that afternoon when he became aware of a collision in his rear view mirror.

He drove back and initially found the Peugeot “extremely damaged”.

The officer said the elderly female driver had blood on her head. She was “confused and dazed”. A child was in the passenger seat.

Sutherland was spotted walking away from the crash. He claimed he needed time to clear his head.

But, the PC caught up with him – it was soon after he made the comment about Margaret apparently being at fault.

He also repeatedly called the officer “a f***ing idiot”.

Margaret never recovered and passed away weeks later.

Sutherland’s car was ‘defective’

During a probe into the crash, it was discovered the anti-lock braking system in the 12 year-old Mondeo was not working properly.

The battery for the vehicle was also said not to be secured.

Sutherland had been going at a minimum 44mph in the 40mph zone around the time of the collision, but was likely to have been quicker at the point he started braking.

Other motorists in the area that day had also commented at how fast he had been going.

In his speech to jurors, prosecutor Adrian Stalker said Sutherland’s driving had been dangerous and was “not just a lack of judgement or momentary inattention”.

He added Sutherland was “going far too fast” in what was described as a “defective” car.

Graeme Brown, defending, told the sentencing that his client maintains his innocence.

The solicitor advocate added: “I recognise nothing I can today can mitigate the loss, pain and suffering that has been placed upon the family for what they have gone through since this incident and during this process.

“As a result of his involvement in this incident, his presence on social media led him to be targeted by other people.”

Sutherland, of Cumbernauld, but who had latterly been living in Newcastle, had been on bail during the trial.