Sentencing Adam Anguige, 26, of White Lee Road, Batley, Judge Christopher Prince accused him of "fast, dangerous, aggressive and competitive driving" which led to the deaths of the girls on September 1 2006.

Gemma Cost, 15, from Batley, Ursula Alokolaro, 16, from Batley, and Natalie Donlan, also 16, from Dewsbury, were killed in the car of the second driver, James Houston, when he lost control and crashed into a lorry while overtaking Anguige in Wakefield Road.

Anguige was found guilty of three counts of causing death by dangerous driving by a jury at Bradford Crown Court in January this year.

Houston, 27, from Huddersfield, was charged with the same offence but was deemed not fit to stand trial because he lacked the mental capacity after being injured in the crash. A jury found that he had committed the act of driving in a dangerous manner.

Anguige left the scene of the accident but returned a short time later and presented himself to police as a witness.

In mitigation, Peter Joyce QC said Houston had provoked Anguige into uncharacteristically losing his cool by his actions before the fatal collision.

He said: "The real, most serious villain of the piece, from whose car those girls were taken dead, is effectively, to a very great extent, going to escape, whereas Adam Anguige is going to pay in full."

Sentencing Anguige to 10 years for each of the three counts, to run concurrently, and disqualifying him from driving for 10 years, Judge Prince said: "No sentence that I have the power to pass could ever reflect sufficiently the tragic loss suffered by the parents and families of these young ladies who themselves lost their lives and had so much to offer the world."

Houston's sentencing has been adjourned until July 4 for hospital assessments to take place.



Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2008, All Rights Reserved.