A DRUNK offshore worker killed his friend in a car crash after he got 'fed up' waiting for a taxi to take them home from a pub.

Following the fatal collision that claimed the life of Graeme McKenzie, drunk driver Murray Geddes told police: "I can't remember anything that happened."

The High Court in Edinburgh heard one witness who was overtaken by Geddes said: "I thought I should have taken note of his number and called the police as I thought he would kill someone."

Another motorist said: "It was a crazy piece of driving - the dust from the road was being thrown up into the air to about the height of the trees. I do not know what possessed him to drive like that."

Another witness told police that he became aware of the black two litre Audi S3 coming towards him at "a shockingly fast speed". He said: "It was if it was jittering, like you see the rally cars as they try to keep it on track."

Geddes overtook when it was unsafe, drove close to a vehicle in front and drove at excessive speed for the road conditions and lost control of the car which left the road.

When members of the public went to the aid of Geddes, who was trapped in the driver's seat of the crashed car, he was initially unconscious, but came to and was heard to day: "I am drunk."

Mr McKenzie, 38, who was a front seat passenger, was thrown from the vehicle and died from a serious head injury.

Geddes, 37, of Linn Brae, Aberlour, in Banffshire, admitted causing the death of Mr McKenzie, the father of a 12-year-old boy, by driving dangerously on May 16 this year on the A941 Craigellachie to Rothes road, in Morayshire, after consuming excess alcohol.

Advocate depute Andrew Brown QC said offshore driller Geddes had a speeding conviction from March this year, for driving the car at 93mph in a 60mph zone of the A96 near Huntly, which resulted in him being fined £350 and having penalty points put on his licence.

Prior to the crash Geddes and Mr McKenzie, who also worked offshore, had been at the Aberlour Hotel, about four and a half miles from the scene of the fatality.

Mr Brown said both men had clearly been drinking already. Geddes bought himself a vodka and lemonade, ordered a malt whisky and stood others in the bar a drink.

After they left the hotel and drove off, a lorry driver became aware of the Audi behind him. It overtook him and caught up with two other vehicles ahead of him.

It overtook the first vehicle, crossing a solid white line, and pulled in between them. The driver of the front car, Maureen Imray, told police: "The car then just pulled out and passed me. I would say it was like a speed demon."

The car then left the carriageway, demolished a sign, entered a ditch and struck a tree stump.

After being taken to hospital, tests proved that Geddes was almost double the drink driving limit.

The judge deferred sentence on Geddes for a background report and he was remanded in custody.