Teenager texted 'I may not survive' before dying in drink driver crash

A terrified teenager messaged friends to tell them she "may not survive tonight" minutes before dying in a car that crashed while being driven by a speeding drink driver.

Erin Slane, 19, sent the message after being picked up by Kyle Patrick in September 2024 who had been offering people lifts home from a taxi rank in Perth - despite being more than three-times over the drink drive limit.

The 23-year-old reached speeds of 119mph in his Ford Fiesta ST-3 turbo before losing control on a secluded Perthshire road, the court heard.

Patrick, of Scone, Perthshire, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing her death by dangerous driving at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday.

Prosecutor Graeme Jessop KC told judge Lord Harrower that during the journey Erin had messaged a group of friends.

"At 0157 hours, she sent a message saying: 'I may not survive tonight. I'm scared. Kyle is steaming'," he said.

"At 0205 hours, she wrote again: 'Kyle is steaming'," he added.

The fatal collision occurred about five minutes later as Patrick was driving towards Stanley on the B9099, Luncarty to Stanley Road, near to the junction with Gowrie Farm.

The court heard that Patrick had spent the night drinking with friends in Perth city centre before driving to Mill Street taxi rank and offering lifts to people waiting in the queue.

He was paid £10 by a 17-year-old boy for a lift to Bankfoot before driving to South Street and parking directly outside a pub called That Bar, where he picked up Erin and her friend Keira Jones at about 01:45.

The prosecutor said Patrick was driving at "excessive speed" along the B9099 Luncarty to Stanley road when he lost control of the car.

"The accused lost control of the vehicle whereby it crossed the opposing carriageway, left the roadway, continued through wire fencing, down the grass embankment to a field, before rolling several times and coming to rest on its roof," he said.

Patrick survived and Keira Jones also escaped from the wreck with injuries.

The court heard that Patrick then called police about 40 minutes later.

He told them he had crashed, that he was the driver and had been drinking alcohol so "should not have been driving".

"He stated that he had pulled a passenger out of the car - the witness Keira Jones - and was so sorry for driving," Jessop said.

When emergency services arrived there "was nothing they could do for Erin Slane who was clearly deceased still within the passenger seat of the car".

The crash happened two days before her 20th birthday and she was due to start studying at Napier University later that month.

Patrick pleaded guilty to a charge of causing Erin Slane's death and serious injury to Keira Jones by driving dangerously while being impaired through consuming alcohol.

Defence advocate Tony Lenehan KC said: "Mr Patrick knows the terrible harm he has done, causing the death of Ms Slane.

"No words of Mr Patrick can do anything to undo this harm.

"He pleads guilty knowing that he deserves a substantial prison sentence.

"He tells me if he could serve ten times the sentence and be able to undo everything that happened, he would."

Lord Harrower remanded Patrick in custody and called for a report into his background.

He added: "This is a terrible tragedy for Ms Slane and her family, and for Miss Jones and her family."

Patrick will be sentenced at the High Court in Dundee on 9 June.