A company director joked about falling asleep at the wheel shortly before he his car hit a motor cycle head-on and nearly killing the two riders.

 

Christopher Thornton, 36, sent a text to his partner that read "Hopeful of staying awake" before embarking on the tragic journey home to Bridge of Allan from a business trip to Elgin.

He also attached a picture of four cups of Starbucks doubleshot espresso premium coffee drink cans, Inverness Sheriff Court heard yesterday (fri).

Two hours later, Thornton, of Bridge of Allan, Stirligshire, appeared to nod off on the A9 as witnesses said his car drifted towards the wrong side of the carriageway.

They said the cvar veered sharply into the path of an oncoming motor cycle travelling in a convoy of four to the a motorcycle rally in Aviemore on August 23, 2013.

He hit the Triumph Tiger bike head on, propelling Malcolm Traquair and his partner, Ruth Keighley, from Bearsden, near Glasgow, on to his windscreen and tumbling in the air on the outskirts of Kingussie.

Both received multiple injuries including several fractures.

Cardiac nurse Ms Keighley, 63, also suffered brain damage and had to learn to walk and talk again after several surgical procedures.

She spent 16 months in hospital and will never fully recover. Her partner, a 62 year old former senior fire officer for 30 years will also never overcome his injuries, having lost the use of his right arm. Neither will ride bikes again.

Fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart told Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood that the collision happened about 2.45 pm on a warm, clear day and there was no suggestion of speed being involved.

"There were numerous motorcycles heading to Aviemore for the "Thunder in the Glens" motorcycle rally, including Mr Traquair and Ms Keighley, a retired couple in their sixties who left their Bearsden home about 11am to travel north.

"They met up with three more motorcyclists en route and about 2.00 p.m., they were in the lead.

"It is understood that around mid day Thornton, who had been staying overnight in Elgin in connection with his work finished what he had to do and prepared to return home to Bridge of Allan.

"Subsequent examination of his mobile phone was carried out and his mobile phone recorded that at 12.50 pm on 23rd August 2013 a photograph was taken of a pack of four 200ml cans of "Starbucks doubleshot espresso premium coffee drink" sitting on a car passenger seat.

"The photo was sent as an attachment to a text message sent to a Colleen Thornton. The message accompanying the image is "Just leaving Elgin, hopeful of staying awake! Xxx"

Other motorists, including a camper van travelling both north and south witnessed the horror crash about 2.40 pm.

They told police they saw Thornton's white southbound Ford Fiesta "drift" across the carriageway into the northbound lane, forcing one car to swerve on to the verge to avoid a collision before it hit their trailer.

"They then saw the white car collide head-on with the northbound motorcycle driven by Mr Traquair on which Ruth Keighley was pillion passenger causing the two riders to leave the motorcycle and tumble through the air. In his mirror he saw the white car swerve back to the southbound carriageway, damaging the offside of the campervan as it went." Mr Urquhart continued.

"When spoken to by the police, Thornton said he became aware that "something" hit his windscreen. He recalls airbags deploying and running along side of the campervan. He described the car scraping along the road after the collision.

"Many other motorists stopped to help immediately after the collision, including by good fortune a retired emergency medicine consultant who had latterly worked for the Scottish Ambulance Service."

Thornton admitted driving dangerously knowing he was tired and causing the couple serious injury by colliding with their motor cycle.

Sentence was deferred for a background reports