A DRINK driver who killed a young soldier when he ploughed into his car at high speed in Oldbury has been jailed for 10 years.

Adam Hancox died instantly when Kasim Mohammed sped through red traffic lights at about 70mph and smashed into his Ford Ka.

The 27-year-old, who was already disqualified from driving and had 44 offences on his criminal record, tried to run away from the crash scene.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard how he showed no concern for Mr Hancox or his own girlfriend who, as a passenger in his VW Passat, suffered serious head injuries and a broken hip.

Four good Samaritans chased after him and held onto him until police arrived.

Judge Nicholas Webb awarded the four men £250 each as a reward for their public spirited actions and further banned Mohammed from driving for 11 years.

The court was told Mohammed was driving at about 70mph on Wolverhampton Road at the junction with Bleakhouse Road, when he smashed into the car being driven by Mr Hancox, a 26-year-old serving soldier, from Birmingham, on medical leave from the Army.

Kevin Grego, prosecuting, had been due to report back to his regiment five weeks later but died instantaneously,

He said the driver’s compartment of the soldier’s vehicle was knocked into the passenger side of the car by the impact of the collision.

Mohammed, whose lengthy criminal record included two previous charges of dangerous driving, was told by the judge his judgement had been grossly impaired by alcohol.

He said his driving had been utterly reckless towards the safety of other road users on a road he must have known had a high mortality rate.

Mohammed, of Bearwood Road, Smethwick, admitted causing the death of Mr Hancox by dangerous driving, failing to provide police with a specimen for analysis and driving while disqualified.

Mr Grego said Mohammed had also been deprived of a sleep during the previous night and had been extremely callous as he tried to leave the scene of the accident.

David Crigman QC, defending, said Mohammed had no real recollection of what happened but had not intended to drive through red lights and must have been distracted.

He said Mohammed accepted he had behaved badly when he tried to get away and was full of remorse for the hurt and anguish he had caused to the Hancox family.

In a victim impact statement, his mother Christine Hancox said they had been left devastated by the loss of a son who was a valuable member of society.