Drunk driver who seriously injured pregnant passenger in Bellshill is jailed

A drink-driver has been jailed for a year after causing a crash in Bellshill that left a mum-to-be with horrific head injuries.
Callum McIverCallum McIver
Callum McIver

Calum MacIver had no lights on and was nearly three times the limit when his vehicle ploughed into another car in which Jessica Aitken was a passenger. Her skull was fractured and her jaw shattered, leaving her with long-lasting health issues. Miraculously, her unborn baby survived the crash.

MacIver, 64, of Caldercruix, admitted driving dangerously and causing serious injury to Ms Aitken. He also admitted being nearly three times over the drink limit.

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The crash happened on North Road, shortly before midnight on July 6, 2019. Ms Aitken, who was 17 weeks pregnant, was a front seat passenger in a Suzuki Swift being driven by her partner, Kieran Frew. She was knocked unconscious by the impact,

Jennifer Cunningham, prosecuting, said: "As Mr Frew negotiated a bend, he was confronted by the accused's Vauxhall Astra coming towards him on the wrong side of the road with no headlights on.

"Mr Frew braked and swerved to the right and at the last moment the accused became aware of him and swerved to his left.

"As a result, the vehicles collided in the centre of the road."

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"The accused was in his car, drifting in and out of consciousness. A witness explained to him he'd been in an accident and the accused replied sarcastically 'Oh have I?' It appeared he'd been drinking and when asked if he had he answered 'Aye and what?’

Ms Aitken, who suffered bleeding on the brain, spent two and a half weeks in hospital and required surgery on her jaw later.

The fiscal added: "Ms Aitken now suffers from short term memory loss as well as impaired cognitive ability and a loss of feeling in her ear that will be permanent. She still suffers pain in her jaw and will be on a soft diet for the rest of her life.

"She undergoes physiotherapy and has had to deal with psychological trauma."

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Sheriff Colin Dunipace jailed MacIver for a year, banned him from driving for three years and ordered him to resit his test. The sheriff said: “You drove in an extremely dangerous manner with appalling consequences."