A CAR criminal who drove at twice the speed limit in the run-up to a fatal traffic accident has not been charged with any offence relating to the death, York Crown Court heard.

But Dominic Benjamin Hippe, 28, has been jailed for motor related offences following the police investigation into the crash that killed Richard Grainger, 43, as he walked his dog near Brayton on August 28 last year.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC told Hippe: "Since you were 16, you have shown a complete cavalier attitude to the driving laws of this country. You seem to approach them as something that simply doesn't apply to you."

Last month, Nick Adlington, prosecuting, told York Crown Court how Hippe entertained his friend Ryan David Jones, 24, by performing handbrake turns and "doughnuts" in a supermarket car park on August 28.

Then the pair drove their cars together at twice the speed limit through Brayton. As they left the village, Jones hit Mr Grainger, 43, and killed him.

Jones, of Fostergate, Selby, admitted death by careless driving and is currently serving a 16-month prison sentence.

When Hippe appeared separately for sentencing, James Gelsthorpe, prosecuting, said the CPS had decided after "carefully considering" the matter, not to charge Hippe over the manner of his driving on August 28.

Instead, he had been charged with car insurance fraud and driving without insurance on August 28, offences Hippe, of Moss Road, Askern, near Doncaster, admitted, as he admitted failure to answer police bail.

The judge said. "I can only sentence this defendant on the basis of the decision taken by the CPS" and jailed Hippe for 12 months and two weeks and banned him from driving for two and a half years.

Defence solicitor advocate Graham Parkin said Hippe worked hard on a farm and his family would suffer if he was locked up.

Mr Gelsthorpe said Hippe got car insurance for two days on August 20 and one day on August 22 by lying about his convictions. His 47 convictions are mostly car related including dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, taking vehicles without consent, driving without insurance and without a valid licence.

Mr Gelsthorpe said Hippe had stopped immediately after the fatal crash, but had driven off after ten seconds.

"However despicable that is, that is not reflected in any criminality before the court," said the judge.