A killer driver who mowed down an innocent family man while fleeing police has been jailed for ten years.

Kenneth Honey drove into Raymond Thompson at a pedestrian crossing - despite being banned and never having passed a driving test.

Honey callously ignored his victim's plight, driving the stolen black BMW on to the pavement and punching out the shattered windscreen to escape.

Honey had an appalling record of driving offences, prosecutor Thomas Bayliss told Bradford Crown Court. He had six previous convictions for reckless driving, three for dangerous driving and three for aggravated vehicle taking.

The court heard how Honey sped away from the horrific scene at the Great Horton Road pedestrian crossing, leaving Mr Thompson, a stepfather to three, dying in the road. At the time of last October's smash, Honey, who was already serving an eight-year ban, ignored a red light before hitting Mr Thompson, of Lidget Green.

Mr Bayliss said that as Honey fled, he mounted the pavement and forced motorists to swerve out of his way.

Witnesses said Honey, who had shaken off the patrol car before the impact, was travelling at speeds of about 70 or 80mph along the 30mph road. Police found the stolen BMW in nearby Cousen Avenue. Honey was arrested next month at Kings Cross station in London.

The dumped car contained burglary tools such as bolt croppers and oxyacetylene equipment alongside fireworks stolen from a Homebase store earlier that morning. Honey had earlier pleaded guilty to causing Mr Thompson's death by dangerous driving, but sentence was adjourned while he stood trial on other matters.

After his arrest, Honey, formerly of Great Horton, Bradford, claimed he had panicked when he spotted the police car. "He cannot bring Mr Thompson back to life. He wishes he could,'' said Keith Harrison, Honey's barrister.

"He is utterly appalled at his behaviour in driving that way. He wishes he could turn the clock back, but he can't. If an apology were welcome, he would make it a thousand times over, but it may not be.''

Honey was jailed for seven years for causing death by dangerous driving and a further three years for other matters, including handling the stolen BMW, conspiracy to commit commercial burglaries and an affray in which he had threatened the occupants of a car with a sledgehammer. Judge Gerald Coles QC said: "You were intent on evading that police car at any cost. You totally disregarded those lights and what strikes me as the nastiest part of the whole affair is that having collided with that unfortunate man you did not stop to see if you could render assistance."

Banning Honey for a further seven years, he said: "You behaved as one would expect a criminal to behave. You drove your car in the opposite direction, speeding off leaving your victim lying in the road.''

After the case, Chief Supt Stuart Hyde, who led the investigation, said: "Our sympathies go out to the family and we hope they can now get on with their lives and put this tragic incident behind them."

Mr Thompson's family were too upset to talk after the case.