A RACING driver jailed for killing an Oxfordshire motorist and leaving his girlfriend in a coma had a previous conviction for dangerous driving.

Sammy Edwards, who came second in the World Porsche Carrera Championships, overtook three cars in his father’s BMW X5, forcing teenager Greg Stiles to take evasive action. The 18-year-old was killed instantly as he struck another car and his girlfriend Abigail Dowdy, 17, was left in a coma.

Edwards – jailed for five years on Friday – fled the scene and lied to police three times after they tracked him down using a database of cars, mobile phone records and CCTV footage.

Six years earlier he had also been jailed for 15 months for dangerous driving and using an iron bar on a motorcyclist in another motoring incident.

Mr Stiles was taking Miss Dowdy back to her home when the crash happened on the A4129 Risborough Road between Kingsey and Longwick, Buckinghamshire.

Edwards was driving in the opposite direction, on his way to Oxford services, overtaking a line of three cars and did not pull over, causing Mr Stiles to swerve his blue Ford Fiesta on to the grass verge.

He lost control and his car span into the line of oncoming traffic.

The jury of six men and six women at Reading Crown Court took three hours and 31 minutes to convict Edwards of causing death by dangerous driving.

Judge Mary Jane Mowat said: “Your driving created a relatively brief but obvious danger arising from a serious overtaking manoeuvre, deliberate overtaking when you were aware that another car was approaching and I agree that brings this offence into a category for which the sentence would be three years as a starting point.

“Aggravating features are your previous conviction in the circumstances that have been outlined and the jury have now heard about the fact that in addition to Mr Stiles being killed, his girlfriend was seriously injured.

“You add to that your irresponsible behaviour in failing to stop and your lack of co-operation with the prosecution.

“You have not shown that you felt regretful or remorseful towards the family of the man whose death was caused by your driving.

“I understand this will affect your career and your hobby but as someone who has driven dangerously on the road with the consequences ensuing as in this case, you cannot complain about the sentence I have passed.”

Miss Dowdy, from Prestwood, near High Wycombe, recovered from her injuries and was at court.

Mr Stiles’s parents Maggie and Rob, of Ormond Road, Thame, said: “The last two to three weeks of the trial has been a horrendous ordeal for us but we are thankful that it is now at an end. We are pleased with the decision of the judge and jury although we will never have total justice for Greg.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to our family and friends and Thame community as a whole for their incredible support, without whom we would have struggled to cope since we lost Greg.

“We can now start to pick up the pieces of our shattered lives and learn how to live without our fantastic son who we desperately miss and of whom we are so proud.”

Edwards, of Marsh, Aylesbury, was disqualified for eight years and must take an extended driving test before he gets his licence back.

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