Moray crash involving Elgin singer was caused by American driver on wrong side of the road

A US military veteran has been fined for causing a serious crash in Moray by driving on the wrong side of the road.

James Boyd was holidaying in Scotland when the accident took place at about 8.15pm on September 18 last year.

Elgin Sheriff Court heard that the 75-year-old “panicked” after missing his turning in the dark on the A95 between Aberlour and Bridge of Avon.

Heading back in the opposite direction, he then unwittingly reverted to driving on the right.

At this point his vehicle crashed head-on with another being driven by Andy Layton James, a professional singer and entertainer who lives in Elgin.

Mr Layton James and one of his passengers were both hurt in the crash.

However, it was a second passenger, a woman, who sustained the worst injuries, breaking her leg in more than one place and subsequently spending 15 weeks in hospital.

Boyd lives in Winchester, a city in the US state of Virginia, and was not present in court.

However a plea of guilty was entered on his behalf to a charge of driving without due care and attention.

Defence solicitor Megan Lee said her client had no previous convictions and apologised for what had happened.

Sheriff David Harvie fined the defendant £1400 and banned him from driving in the UK for the next two years.