A “show off” crashed his car, seriously injuring a friend, despite him pleading with him to slow down.
William Youngson, 25, was speeding on the A95 Banff to Keith road near Glenbarry when he lost control.
One of Youngson’s passengers was left with a punctured lung, broken collarbone, broken rib and fractured shoulder blade, before the driver phoned police the next day to report the car stolen.
Fiscal depute Felicity Merson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the crash happened on April 13 last year while Youngson was giving two other men a lift.
She said they “asked him to slow down” but added: “He laughed and continued to drive.”
Mrs Merson said he “lost control” of the car which skidded off the road, struck a verge and “overturned several times”, landing on its roof.
She added: “The following day the accused contacted police to report the car had been stolen.”
Youngson, of St Peter’s Terrace, Buckie, pled guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while only holding a provisional licence without displaying L plates, without insurance, and also attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Sheriff Graeme Napier said: “It strikes me he was showing off. Is that a fair summary?”
Defence agent David Sutherland agreed, adding he “panicked” before contacting police the next day.
Sheriff Napier gave him a £350 fine, two years supervision, 200 hours of unpaid work, an eight-month curfew and a two-year driving ban.