A drunk teenager killed his best friend while driving dangerously to escape a police car in pursuit.
James Carrick, 18, was almost twice the drink drive limit when he smashed into a parked car, a fence and a wall before his Peugeot ended up on its roof in Drumchapel, Glasgow, in March 2011.
The youngster, who had a bottle of Buckfast by his side, was trying to escape from Strathclyde Police traffic officers who were trying to stop him. Carrick's best friend, 15-year-old Ryan Bell, died at the scene and two teenage girls who were also passengers were injured.
On Tuesday, Carrick, of Knightswood, Glasgow was jailed for four years and eight months at the High Court in Edinburgh after judge Lord Woolman heard how the car mechanic was sorry for causing the death of his friend.
The first offender pled guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at a hearing last March at the High Court in Glasgow.
The judge told him: "In the early hours of March 20 last year, you were over the drink driving limit yet you still got into your Peugeot car and drove off with three passengers inside. You were seen getting into the car with a bottle of Buckfast wine. You knew you were engaging in criminal behaviour.
"No sentence could ever reconcile those affected by this incident to their loss."
At the earlier hearing, Carrick admitted causing death by dangerous driving in Drumry Road, Drumry Road East and Drumtreath Avenue, all Drumchapel.
After the smash he told police officers: "What have I done, I'm an idiot."
The police could smell alcohol on Carrick's breath and he added: "I'll admit it all. I was steaming, I was drink driving."
On Tuesday, defence QC Robert Anthony said his client was an "immature" and "stupid" teenager who wished that he could turn back the clock.
He added: "It's not a situation he has taken lightly. He has accepted his guilt from the moment he stepped out of the car and he has accepted his remorse. These words may seem hollow to the deceased man's family but he is full of remorse."
