Hungover student who nodded off at the wheel before killing another driver in horror head-on collision is jailed

A HUNGOVER student who fell asleep at the wheel and killed another driver in a head-on collision has been jailed for three years.

Alisdair Grant, 21, had only just completed a ban for drink driving when he took to the wheel of his brother's Fiat Punto the morning after a party.

The judge at his trial in Glasgow described him as having "a cavalier attitude" as he passed down the sentence.

Grant pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

But his lawyers asked for him to be spared jail citing testimonials that described him as a "role model".

But Lord Boyd said Grant "a life had been taken" by what he had done that day.

Grant, of Kilmarnock, killed Gerry Lewis on the A719 in East Ayrshire after a night of heavy drinking.

Texts found on his phone "indicated he had been partying heavily the night before", prosecutor Mark McGuire told the High Court in Glasgow.

"Around two hours before the collision - in response to someone asking if he was fit to drive - he replied he thought he would be soon.

"The texts made it clear that Grant was tired."

Mr Lewis, 54, was driving with his wife Sarah in the opposite direction to visit his widowed mother in Glasgow when the collision happened in March 2014.

As both cars approached each other near the village of Waterside the car Grant was driving began to swerve to the other side of the road, the court heard.

It then ploughed head-on into the Lewis's Suzuki 4x4 "without warning".

Around two hours before the collision - in response to someone asking if he was fit to drive - he replied he thought he would be soon. The texts made it clear that Grant was tired

Prosecutor Mark McGuire

Evidence from the scene and testimony from Mrs Lewis suggested Grant had fallen asleep at the wheel as there was no attempt by him to brake.

Noticing her husband was hurt, Mrs Lewis  "shouted for help, pleading for people to assist", Mr McGuire told the hearing.

The couple had to be cut free from the wreckage, but Mr Lewis never recovered.

Mr Lewis - a conservationist with North Lanarkshire Council for 20 years - died from injuries to his chest and abdomen.

Lord Boyd said the prison term was cut by a year due to his guilty plea.

Grant was also banned from the road for four years.

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