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Man blames girlfriend for causing pensioner’s death at Aberdeenshire caravan park

The tragic accident happened at East Balthangie Caravan Park, near Cuminestown.
The tragic accident happened at East Balthangie Caravan Park, near Cuminestown.

A man accused of causing the death of a pensioner by driving dangerously at a north-east caravan site immediately tried to blame his girlfriend for the crash, a court has heard.

Nathaniel Cooper is on trial at the High Court in Aberdeen accused of killing Andrew MacKay, 65, after his silver Daihatsu Terios struck the retired plumber, pinning him down underneath a caravan and the car.

The 65-year-old suffered significant chest injuries and died at East Balthangie Caravan Park, near Cuminestown in Aberdeenshire.

The jury has heard Cooper’s ex-girlfriend Kylie Johnston was sitting on his knee in the driver’s seat at the time the fatal crash happened.

But Cooper, of 4 Queens Road, Inverbervie, denies causing Mr MacKay’s death by driving dangerously and claims he had no control of the steering wheel or pedals in the moments leading up to the collision.

Johnston, of 8 Newbigging Drive, Stonehaven has already admitted her part in the incident, and has taken responsibility for controlling the steering wheel as it crossed a grassy area and crashed through a fence.

On Wednesday, 26-year-old Johnston told the jury that as the car started to go out of control she let go of the wheel and Cooper took over, but seconds later they crashed into the caravan and Mr MacKay.

But yesterday the court heard that when officers arrived at the scene, shortly after 8.30pm on July 21, 2013, Cooper approached Constable Mark Ball and tried to blame his partner.

Mr Ball, who no longer works for the force, told the court: “He approached me immediately to tell me there was a man under the car and he said words like ‘she was driving and she’s over there'”

Mr Ball said that the 31-year-old told him this while pointing at the tent they had been staying in.

The court was also played Johnston’s police interview yesterday when the pair were originally being questioned in relation to charges of culpable homicide.

The tape showed her extremely upset and distressed following the incident.

Jurors heard that at one point, without being questioned, Johnston, said: “I was driving. I didn’t see him. You do not know how I feel. I won’t be able to live with myself.”

She added: “I just want to die. He was driving as well. He pulled the wheel and we skidded round a corner. The car went on it side a bit and then it went back down. I wanted it to stop.”

The trial, before Lord Stewart, continues.