Banned driver in stolen Maserati who killed pensioner jailed

A banned driver who caused the death of a 74-year-old pensioner after crashing into his garden in a stolen Maserati sports car has been jailed for 13-and-a-half years. The incident occurred in Broughty Ferry, near Dundee, in April. The defendant, Fraser Garden, was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh. The court heard that Garden, who had 90 previous convictions and two lifetime driving bans, had taken cocaine and was driving at nearly three times the speed limit. Garden, aged 55, had never passed a driving test or held a valid license. He previously admitted to causing the death of John Bell, known as Jack, by dangerous driving. The court was informed that Garden had been released on bail over multiple shoplifting charges just a week prior to the fatal crash. On the day of the collision, he stole a Maserati Quattroporte from a nearby garage. He drove recklessly, overtaking vehicles and weaving between oncoming traffic on several roads in Broughty Ferry. The Maserati then ran through a red light, sped up a hill on the wrong side of the road, and lost control. The car clipped the kerb, hit a traffic island, and crashed through a hedge into Bell’s garden. The pensioner was pinned against a wall by the vehicle. His wife, who was also in the garden, discovered him shortly after the crash and called for emergency help. Bell was pronounced dead at the scene. Police data recovered from the car showed it had been traveling at 85 miles per hour, well above the 30 mph speed limit, in just 3.5 seconds before the collision. Garden tested negative for alcohol but positive for cocaine. When taken to hospital, he refused to provide a blood sample. Bell, who had retired in 2020 after nearly 30 years as a taxi driver, was described as being in good health and planning a diamond wedding anniversary with his wife. He had been helping a neighbor with a maintenance task, an act of kindness he often performed. The court was told he was surrounded by a large family, including three children, 10 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. During sentencing, Judge Lord Braid emphasized the severity of Garden’s criminal history, noting that he had committed 11 vehicle thefts and 150 other offenses involving dishonesty, primarily shoplifting. Over 64 of his convictions were related to breaching bail conditions. The judge also noted that Garden had driven while disqualified on at least 10 separate occasions. In addressing the court, Lord Braid acknowledged the profound impact of the tragedy on Bell’s family. The victim’s wife and some of his children and grandchildren had provided victim impact statements, describing their grief as "a void which can never be filled." The judge praised their emotional accounts, calling them "movingly and eloquently" expressed. Garden’s legal team had argued for leniency, citing his mental state and the circumstances surrounding the offense. However, the judge rejected such arguments, stating that Garden had stolen the life of a man in what should have been the safety of his own home. The court ordered Garden to serve a driving ban for 56 years and nine months. The case has left the community deeply affected, with many expressing outrage over the reckless actions that led to the loss of a cherished member of the local area.