A binge drinker who drove 140 miles from Kidlington to Derbyshire during an all-day session and killed another motorist on the return journey has been jailed for five years.

Stewart Pittam 31, of Wise Avenue, had drunk at least six pints and six cans of beer before he lost control of his Ford Ka and smashed head-on into an oncoming Rover, driven by 42-year-old Adrian Mann.

Mr Mann, of Bowman Drive, Sheffield, died at the scene on February 8 this year.

Derby Crown Court was told Pittam was still over the alcohol limit four hours after the crash on the A4167 near Chesterfield.

Prosecutor David Herbert told the court: "Pittam met his friend Kenneth Russell at 10am, when he was already in a poor state after drinking the night before.

"In Mr Russell's company Pittam consumed two pints of Guinness and four or five pints of beer at lunchtime."

Mr Herbert said the two had fallen into a drunken squabble and, as a result, Pittam decided to drive to Mr Russell's sister's home at Shirebrook in Derbyshire.

"He arrived there at 8.30pm and downed a further six cans of lager," he added. "He was so drunk at that stage that Miss Russell poured two further cans he had bought down the sink."

The court heard that Miss Russell's boyfriend objected to Pittam staying the night, and he left the house after agreeing to sleep off the drink in his car. But instead he decided to set off back home and the crash took place just 15 minutes' later.

Mr Herbert added: "It is unclear whether Pittam lost control or nodded off, but Mr Mann had no time to take evasive action.

"The emergency services were called, but Mr Mann died at the scene."

The court was told Pittam, who had previous convictions for dishonesty, broke a leg and an arm in the crash.

But Sonal Ahya, defending, said: "He made an appalling decision and there is nothing he can do or say in his defence in consolation to Mr Mann's family."

Judge John Wait told Pittam: "To drive in that state was not just irresponsible but wicked.

"Every car on the road is potentially a lethal weapon and you, obviously badly affected by drink, were in no condition to drive."

Pittam, who had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving, was disqualified from driving for 10 years.