A teenage driver who caused the death of his best friend in a horror crash has been spared being locked up.
Connor Lawless was speeding on the A9 near North Kessock, Inverness when he braked heavily sparking a three-vehicle smash. The 19 year-old had passed his test just five months before the fatal collision.
His 16 year-old front seat passenger Gregor McIntosh was badly hurt following the incident on December 20 2019 and later passed away in hospital. Lawless pled guilty last month at a hearing in Edinburgh to a charge of causing death by careless driving.
He was sentenced at the High Court in Aberdeen by judge Lord Richardson.
Lawless was made subject of a two year community payback order and banned from the road for the next five years.
The earlier hearing was told how Lawless - then 17 - had picked up his friend before driving his Vauxhall Corsa north on the A9.
Prosecutor Stephanie Ross said he then failed to comply with road signs to use a filter lane for vehicles turning right.
He braked heavily causing his motor to be hit by a Nissan Juke.
Lawless, of Inverness, then struck a Volkswagen Polo driven by a 77 year-old woman, who was also injured.
Investigators concluded the first collision was caused by Lawless braking suddenly.
Stuart Thomson, 50 - who was driving the Nissan Juke - was unable to avoid hitting the Corsa as he was travelling too close to Lawless.
The court heard the collision between the vehicles played no part in the second crash.
Miss Ross said: "Gregor McIntosh was 16 at the time and was the best friend of Lawless.
"He lived at home with his parents and sister."
She added he was training to be a carpenter and joiner.
Miss Ross told the judge how Lawless passed his test on July 8 2019 and was still classed as a "new driver" at the time.
Thomson, of Muir of Ord in the Highlands, was admonished after he pled guilty to careless driving. He had five penalty points added to his licence.
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