A Sky Television maintenance man and van driver who, in his own uninsured car, knocked a motorcyclist off her machine and into a concrete barrier, causing her death, and then driving off, was jailed for five years on Friday last week.

The judge at Isleworth Crown Court, Judge John Crocker, told him: 'This was a tragedy caused by your dangerous driving.

'What aggravates the offence is that, knowing you had been involved in an accident, you drove off.

'Then, you kept out of the way until you knew the police had traced you. Then you tried to blame others.

'You were perfectly entitled to put your case in front of a jury to decide if your driving was dangerous,' the judge continued.

'They decided it was and as a result of it a young girl died.

'No sentence that I can pass will compensate in any way the family of that young girl whose life was so tragically cut short.'

Gregory Gallagher, 27, of Empire Road, Perivale, was found guilty at an earlier hearing of causing the death of Lesley-Ann 'Leigh' Peters, 27, of Hounslow Road, Feltham, by dangerous driving on the Hanger Lane Gyratory system on May 25 last year.

He admitted failing to stop, failing to report the accident and being uninsured.

In addition to his prison sentence, Gallagher was banned from driving for eight years and must take an extended driving test before regaining his licence.

The trial heard that Gallagher, driving his wife and partner after a long day's work, forced his way into a line of traffic leaving the gyratory system on the westbound slip-road to the A40 Western Avenue.

He then pulled out of the line twice and the second time, hit the motorcyclist side on, prosecutor David Smith told the court.

Ms Peters was flung off the bike and into the wall and died from severe head injuries several hours later in nearby Central Middlesex Hospital.

'This defendant was clearly not focusing or concentrating on his driving properly,' said Mr Smith.

'He gave the impression he was trying to beat the traffic'.

Ms Peters' family was not in court for the sentencing and an 'impact' statement given by her father, Leslie Peters, was not read to the court.

But Mr Smith said afterwards that it stated that Ms Peters was an experienced motorcyclist who looked after her machine and was a capable rider.

'The family were very touched and impressed by the tributes to their daughter which flowed in after the accident,' Mr Smith added.