A teenage joyrider has admitted killing a Forfar father in a horrific hit-and-run in Australia.
Keith Stevens, 33, died when his motorbike was dragged for about 280ft along a road and burst into flames after being struck by a stolen BMW in Melbourne.
The sheet metal worker was rushed to hospital but died from internal injuries, multiple fractures and burns to half his body.
Mr Stevens, who had lived near Forfar before emigrating to Australia around 10 years ago, was on his way home from work when the incident happened in November last year.
A 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has now admitted causing his death during a court hearing in Melbourne.
The teen and three others stole a BMW on November 8 2017, before colliding with Mr Stevens when they tried to beat him through an intersection.
In a phone call secretly recorded by police the day after the crash, the youth told a friend: “I saw it, and, like, f*** I can beat it, so I put my foot flat.
“Even after the accident, bro, I didn’t feel anything. Like, I didn’t feel no pain, no emotions about it.”
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After the crash, the group abandoned the stolen car and tried to break into a property before stealing another car from a nearby house.
In an emotional impact statement, Mr Stevens’ partner Amanda Wilson told of her devastation at his loss and said he was unrecognisable when she visited him in hospital due to his injuries.
She said: “The nurse helped me to make footprints of his feet, to cut some of his burnt hair to keep.
“Keith does not deserve to die the way he did. No one deserves to die the way that Keith did. I remain broken.”
Following his death, Mr Stevens’ family paid tribute to him in a statement released by police in Australia and told how his organs were donated to help save other lives.
They said: “Keith was a loving father, partner and son. We will remain forever devastated by his loss.
“Born in Scotland, he called Australia home. His death is being felt by the lives he touched around the world.
“Keith was our gentle giant and he leaves behind shocked friends and family.
“Keith was an organ donor and we know he would be pleased that in these most tragic of circumstances he was able to help improve the quality of others’ lives.”
An online campaign raised more than £3,000 to help his Scottish relatives travel to Australia for a service.
The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to charges including culpable driving causing death, aggravated burglary and attempted aggravated burglary. He will be sentenced at a later date.
