BANNED DRIVER 'ON T IN THE PARK MERCY MISSION' Court told of panic over dying friend.

Byline: By Charlie Gall

A MUSIC fan accused of driving while banned at T in the Park claimed yesterday that he only did it to take a dying friend to hospital.

Christopher McCarron, 22, said he got behind the wheel after pal Ann Kirk overdosed on drink or drugs.

Police stopped McCarron shortly after he left the festival car park and put him and his four passengers in police cars.

Ann, 22, suffered convulsions and passed out. An ambulance was called to take her to Perth Royal Infirmary, where she died four days later.

Tests revealed that Ann, of Hamilton, Lanarkshire, had ecstasy in her system. A culpable homicide investigation was launched but no one has been charged.

McCarron pleaded guilty to driving while banned at last year's festival. But his lawyer told Perth Sheriff Court he only acted as he did because hefeared for Ann's safety.

Solicitor Craig Deuchar said: "He could have called an ambulance but there was an element of panic.

"He was with his sister and her boyfriend and his friend and his girlfriend. It was his friend's girlfriend who unfortunately died because of the intake of drink or drugs.

"He was the only one of his party who was not under the influence of drink or drugs. He understands there were more appropriate ways to deal with this."

Sheriff Michael Fletcher said he was unhappy with McCarron's explanation and continued the case for a week to get more information from prosecutors.

He told McCarron: "It would have been far better to have contacted an ambulance and doctors than to try get out of T in the Park in a car."

Seasonal worker McCarron, of Motherwell, Lanarkshire, also admitted driving without insurance and failing to turn up for an earlier court date.

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CAR: McCarron