A POSSESSIVE man from Bonchester Bridge who carried out a murder bid in Galashiels after accusing his victim of chatting up his girlfriend was jailed for nine years today (Friday) at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Derek McDermid drove his car at speed at Andrew Taylor and crushed him against his own vehicle in the horrific attack.

Judge Lord Boyd of Duncansby told 51-year-old McDermid: "This is one of the most serious offences that come before these courts.

"You deliberately drove your car at Mr Taylor causing him very serious injuries which he will have to live with for the rest of his life."

The judge told McDermid that there was no doubt that the injuries he inflicted on his victim were "devastating".

McDermid, of Gatehouse Cottages, Bonchester Bridge, had threatened to kill Mr Taylor before carrying out the car attack on him on August 18 last year at Broom Drive in Galashiels.

Unemployed McDermid, who used cannabis daily, earlier admitted attempting to murder the 40-year-old victim by driving the car at him, striking him on the body and assaulting him to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment.

The court heard the two men had known each since about 2008. Mr Taylor understood 21-year-old Rebecca Fox to be McDermid's girlfriend. He did not know her very well but formed the view that McDermid was possessive and controlling towards her.

On the day of the murder bid she had contacted Mr Taylor and he later spoke to her on the phone and believed that he called her "doll" or "hen" during their conversation.

McDermid phoned him shortly afterwards and accused him of trying to chat her up and threatened to kill him.

Mr Taylor was later at the rear of his car and saw McDermid pointing at him as he drove past in his Daewoo Tacuma. McDermid stopped the vehicle and turned it around before accelerating towards his victim.

Mr Taylor was rearranging items in the boot heard a car accelerating at high speed and turned and saw the vehicle coming straight at him.

Advocate depute Paul Brown said he had no time to react before he was hit and was crushed against his own car which was pushed into a fence by the impact. He was thrown for some distance before he fell to the ground and his attacker drove off.

Mr Taylor suffered serious leg injuries in the murder bid and underwent surgery after the attack.

McDermid's vehicle was later found with damage to the bonnet and windscreen and he later told police that he was the driver.  

Defence solicitor advocate Urfan Dar said: "His behaviour was clearly irrational and resulted in very dangerous consequences."

He said McDermid suffered from depression and anxiety and had failed to take his prescribed medication.

Lord Boyd told McDermid that he would have faced a sentence of 12 years imprisonment if he had been convicted of the attempted murder after a trial.