A FORMER Celtic and Rangers starlet downed pints of high-strength VENOM on a boozy pub crawl before mowing down a teenager in a horror hit-and-run.
Ciaran Dickson, 22, fatally hit Aidan Pilkington, 18, in the Anniesland area of Glasgow before fleeing the scene on foot on September 11, 2021.
Dickson pled guilty today at the High Court in Glasgow to causing death by dangerous driving after Aidan suffered significant head injuries which he succumbed to later in hospital.
The ex-Celtic B team player raced down the road at a speed between 64 and 71mph while three times over the limit when he struck Aidan.
In court it emerged the footie youngster consumed several drinks – including the potent cocktail called Venom – before getting behind the wheel and killing his teenage victim.
The former Rangers youth player was on a boozy night out with a friend and drank a pint of lager and a bottle of Corona at the Duck Bay Marina in Loch Lomond.
He then got behind the wheel and drove to a pool club in Glasgow city centre.
CCTV showed that Dickson then consumed a further two pints of lager before driving to The Black Horse bar.
While he was there, he downed three pints of the strong cocktail venom – which was topped up with an extra measure of vodka.
The Venom cocktail is popular with young party-goers and pub revellers due to its high alcohol content. It is made by mixing vodka, Southern Comfort and orange juice, before adding in a blue WKD to create a bright green colour.
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Aidan was on a night out with school friends at the time and left the bar at around 11.30pm.
He was heading to a friend’s house when Dickson hit him on Crow Raod at around midnight.
Dickson, now of Erskine, Renfrewshire, then dragged Aidan along the ground, causing significant head injuries.
Dickson, who was employed by Celtic’s B team at the time of the offence, then fled the scene at around 50 to 70 miles per hour.
He then abandoned his rented Mercedes car and ran 178 metres back to his home – which was discovered by police who seized his fitness watch.
Aidan’s friend Ben Smith recalled seeing a vehicle a “distance away” and believed there was enough time to cross the road. Aidan followed behind him.
Prosecutor John Keenan KC said: “Mr Smith was walking within the two lanes when he realised the car was getting closer, faster than he expected.
“He could not estimate the speed of the vehicle, but it caused him to ‘quicken up’.
“He was halfway into the lane when he turned around to see if Aidan was following.
“He observed that Aidan was halfway into the nearside lane of the road.”
Mr Smith stated that a white car struck Aidan, who was about to start university, when he was positioned between the two lanes.
He added that he did not remember Aidan being run over by the car but to “have travelled for around 10 to 15 metres with the car.”
Other witnesses described hearing a loud bang and a thud as well as seeing Aidan on the ground.
He was noted to be unconscious with blood coming from his mouth and ears.
Aidan was also found to have an exposed fractured skull, very shallow breathing and CPR was carried out at the scene by medics.
Aidan was taken to hospital where he remained unresponsive and was tragically pronounced dead at 1.55am.
Police noticed the damage that was done to the Mercedes – including a missing badge.
Dickson handed himself into police the next day and he was released pending and investigation.
He gave a no comment interview to officers in February 2022 and on June he was finally arrested.
A post-mortem examination was carried out which revealed major external injuries to Aidan’s head and trunk.
Aidan suffered bruising and wounds to his forehead, scalp, eye and cheek.
There was also a full-thickness wound to the back of his head surrounded by bruising.
Mr Keenan added: “Pathologists considered that the injuries to the front and back of the head were consistent with a run over or dragging type scenario.”
Further injuries included to the abdomen and pelvis as well as a number of rib fractures.
An internal examination revealed a large skull fracture which was associated with a small amount of bleeding on the surface of the brain.
Pathologists considered that a brain injury might be responsible for the “very rapid death.”
Mr Keenan said: “The major cause of death is considered to be severe head injury which is consistent with being sustained as a result of road traffic collision.”
It was also suggested that Aidan was not standing at the time of the collision. It is not known if he slipped or fell.
Thomas Ross KC, defending, said: “Nothing said by Ciaran Dickson can offer comfort to Aidan’s family and friends.
“He recognises that he is fully deserving of a sentence of imprisonment.”
Dickson’s previous convictions include careless driving from December 2020 when he was hit with three penalty points.
He was also convicted of a domestic pattern in April 2023 when he was ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work.
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Dickson – who was tipped for first-team football – was released by Celtic having scored two goals in his first two appearances for the B team.
Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month by Judge Lord Colbeck who remanded Dickson in custody meantime.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
