Newcastle death crash driver Ionut Mihai jailed

An uninsured driver who struck and killed a pedestrian while driving "recklessly" has been jailed.

Ranjit Grewal, 49, died in hospital after she was struck while walking with her family in Newcastle in April 2017.

Ionut Mihai pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown Court to causing death by dangerous driving and driving while uninsured.

The judge sentenced the 22-year-old, of Claremount South Avenue, Gateshead, to five years and three months.

He was also banned from driving for three years on his release.

The court heard Mihai was in a rush to get home from work and overtook two cars on the 30mph Hunters Moor Road at a speed of almost 50 mph.

He then collided with another car before losing control and striking Ms Grewal, along with her husband and sister-in-law who were also seriously injured.

Sentencing, the judge described the incident as "wholly avoidable, where a short period of reckless risk lead to tragedy for all involved".

Sgt Craig Bartle, of Northumbria Police, said: "The defendant was uninsured but the majority of his driving that evening appeared to be quite responsible.

"He has then had 15 seconds of madness where he has hit the accelerator and attempted two dangerous, high-speed overtake manoeuvres.

"The devastation he has caused cannot be put into words - he has robbed a community of a fantastic woman but also robbed a family of a loving wife and mother."