A NORTH Yorkshire drink-driver who killed two people in a high-speed Valentine's Day crash has been jailed for seven years.

Nicholas Ralph, prosecuting at York Crown Court, said an eye-witness saw Colin John Richmond's Mitsubishi sports car airborne moments before it collided with a Volvo travelling in the opposite direction.

Police later estimated that the other driver had no chance to avoid the crash and that Richmond lost control as he travelled at least 80mph on the B6451 Menwith Hill to Otley Road. He was nearly three times the alcohol limit and had also taken diazepam.

Volvo front-seat passenger Joan Bullock, 81, of Carr Manor Drive, Alwoodley, Leeds, died on her way home from a Valentine's Day trip with her husband.

Richmond's front-seat passenger Anthony Pickles, 39, of The Avenue, Starbeck, Harrogate, was also killed. He was four times the legal alcohol limit and Richmond later told police he had allowed Pickles to drive the car until shortly before the crash. Richmond broke his breast-bone.

The court heard that Richmond had been jailed for four months and banned from the roads for three years for drink-driving in the Mitsubishi in August, his second drink-driving conviction.

In his final case before retirement, Judge Jonathan Crabtree said that Richmond's driving was so bad he would have got the maximum sentence of ten years if he hadn't pleaded guilty.

Richmond, 45, of Ashmore House, Dragon Road, Harrogate, admitted two charges of causing death by dangerous driving on February 14 and one each of driving while disqualified and without insurance. In addition to seven years in jail, he was also banned from driving for seven years.

Colin Harvey, representing Richmond, said he suffered from a drink problem and depression. He had decided to drive when Mr Pickles was taken ill at the wheel and he feared it was a heart attack. He was very sorry for his actions.

Updated: 11:06 Wednesday, May 07, 2003