Motorist who hit Saints fan avoids prison

OAP left with serious injuries

- GORDON CURRIE

A racing driver who knocked down an elderly supporter as he raced through a football crowd has dodged a prison sentence.

Furious fans tried to drag stock car racer Robbie Bruce out of his car after he ploughed the 74-year-old and left him with life-changing injuries.

The man was walking home with family members and other St Johnstone fans when Bruce struck him in a two-tonne Chrysler 300C Touring outside McDiarmid Park.

Sheriff Mark Thorley ordered Bruce to carry out 200 hours unpaid work in the community and disqualified him from driving for 20 months at Forfar Sheriff Court.

The court was told that the fan was left with severe injuries after being struck by a “big lump of a car” in Perth on 2 April 2022.

Bruce admitted causing serious injury by careless driving and accelerating at excessive speed.

He admitted carelessly hitting the man with his car as the pensioner and members of his family were walking home after watching St Johnstone beat Livingston 1-0.