A judge was reduced to tears yesterday after reading the heart-rending words of a mother whose daughter was killed by a teenage driver.

Judge Julian Hall left court part of the way through the case after reading a victim impact statement from the mother of Dr Margaret Davidson - who died when criminal Nolan Haworth smashed into her car near Deddington.

Haworth, 19, was driving "like a joyrider" as he raced to make it to a court hearing on May 18 this year, swerving across double white lines and overtaking on blind bends in his borrowed Vauxhall Nova, Allan Mainds, prosecuting, said.

He sped along the A4260 near Deddington at speeds of up to 80mph and, after overtaking a lorry on the brow of a hill, his car ploughed into Dr Davidson's, killing her instantly.

The recently qualified 26-year-old medic, who was engaged to be married and on the "threshold of her career", was described as "physically beautiful and fiercely intelligent".

At Oxford Crown Court, the tragic nature of the case became too much for Judge Hall as he was forced to leave the courtroom, wiping his eyes, after reading the statement from Dr Davidson's mother Elizabeth.

Barristers and court officials were shocked by this reaction. Sgt Peter Jell, the policeman in charge of the case, said: "They had never seen anything like it before. It's not like these judges have been doing this for a week or two. They are hard, toughened people, but he completely fell apart."

Judge Hall jailed Haworth, of Ribston Close, Banbury, for four years after he admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

At the time of the accident, he did not have a driving licence, having previously been banned from driving, had no insurance and was driving a borrowed car.

Eyewitnesses estimated he was driving between 70 and 80mph. The speed limit on the road is 50mph.

Judge Hall also sentenced him to four months imprisonment for affray - the charge Haworth was driving to court for when the fatal crash happened - following an attack on two students in September last year.

Judge Hall told him: "It is with a terrible irony that you drove in this dreadful way because you were late for court.

"You did not give a care to anyone else on the road.

"You were clearly going too fast. You lost control.

"You killed a thoroughly talented woman on the threshold of her career."

Haworth had two passengers in the car, one of whom was badly injured and required plastic surgery to reconstruct her face.

Judge Hall disqualified Haworth from driving for seven years, adding: "Until you grow up, you should not be on the road."

Dr Davidson was driving home to Kidlington after a long night shift at the Horton Hospital in Banbury.

Originally from Scotland, she had studied at Oxford University and also worked at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Yesterday, her family said: "Anything that can be done to change the law to discourage people like this man from driving should be looked at.

A MOTHER'S MOVING TESTIMONY OF LOVE

Part of Elizabeth Davidson's statement that reduced Judge Julian Hall, to tears: She wrote of a "caring thoughtful girl who loved fun, good food and wine and the company of family and friends."

"How do I feel knowing I will never see her smile again? How do I feel knowing I will never see her arrive off the train, toss down her bag, wrap her arms around me and hear her say: "How's my wee Mum?" How do I feel when I know a text message or phone call will never again be from her? How do I feel knowing I will never hold her child in my arms?

"My heart is broken... I feel a physical pain when I see her photograph.

"Can you imagine the pain of having to choose flowers, pick hymns for a church service and arrange for a meal for people attending your daughter's funeral instead of her wedding? "Can you imagine the distress of having to choose the dress she will wear in her coffin instead of the one she will wear on her wedding day?

"On July 16, 2005, we had one of the happiest days of our lives. After years of studying and hard work on her part, Dr Margaret Davidson BM, Bch, MA, graduated from Oxford University.

"Less than a year later I collected a very tasteful carrier bag containing a cardboard box labelled 'The remains of the late Dr Margaret E Davidson'. I loved Margaret from her first breath and I will love, mourn and miss her until my last."