GRIEVING relatives of a much-loved disabled dad, whose life was "snuffed out" by a speeding banned driver, are calling for changes in the law to allow for tougher jail sentences.

Najeeb Hussain, 23, was driving at nearly twice the speed limit when he smashed into Michael McDermott as he crossed Leeds Road in Bradford on his mobility scooter.

The scooter was shunted 60 feet down the road on the bonnet of the powerful Seat Leon Cupra.

Mr McDermott, 70, who was on his way home from the shops, was hurled more than 80 feet into the air. He died at the scene from his injuries.

Hussain walked off, leaving his victim dying in the road.

Members of Mr McDermott's family were in Bradford Crown Court yesterday when graphic CCTV footage was shown of the accident, which happened at lunchtime on Friday, February 20 this year.

After Hussain, who admitted causing death by dangerous driving, was jailed for four years, Mr McDermott's son, David McDermott, said the only way to stop high speed dangerous drivers was to give much longer prison sentences.

He said: "Four years for Dad's life is not justice. I feel disgusted that he'll probably be out in less than two years."

Prosecutor Jonathan Sharp told the court Hussain had been disqualified from driving three times, the last time only two months before the accident. Hussain had been driving around uninsured in the Seat, which he borrowed from a friend who was unaware he was not insured or licensed to drive.

Mr Sharp said Hussain turned into Leeds Road from Killinghall Road and decided to accelerate up the road at a grossly excessive speed, in a 30mph limit.

One witness was about to pull out into Leeds Road, but aborted the manoeuvre when she saw the defendant approaching at a "ridiculous speed." She said he "went past like a black flash" and described his driving as "irresponsible, selfish, reckless ... words can't accurately describe how dangerous he was."

Another witness said the engine sounded as if the driver had his foot to the floor.

Hussain was travelling at between 55mph and 60mph when he approached a crossing place, near to Thornbury Avenue.

Mr Sharp said Mr McDermott rode up to the crossing and either did not see the Seat, or, more likely, did not realise how fast it was travelling. He was two thirds of the way across the carriageway towards the central refuge when the car ploughed into him.

Mr Sharp said that Hussain and his passenger got out and looked at Mr McDermott. The defendant then walked off. He waited near some shops and had a "leisurely conversation" with two people and walked off again. He had a mobile phone with him but did not call the emergency services.

Hussain called a friend, who collected him, and he hid at his house for three days, before handing himself in to police.

Hussain, of Addison Avenue, Bradford Moor, also pleaded guilty to two charges of causing death by driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured.

His barrister, Richard Clews, said Hussain was a young man who had not intended the consequences of his actions. The dangerous driving was relatively short.

Judge Jonathan Rose told Hussain he had "snuffed out" Mr McDermott's life. He was disqualified from driving but "you decided you were bigger than the law."

Judge Rose said: "You had to show off - for that's all you were doing."

He said people were protected by speed limits, but the defendant saw it as a drag track where he could put his foot down.

Judge Rose said that if Hussain had not been driving at the speed he was, Mr McDermott would have made it to the central refuge and still be alive.

He added: "It was beyond reckless to drive at such a high speed in such a powerful car in such an area. It was dangerous. It was almost inevitable that an accident would result. The tragedy is that a man's life was taken."

He said it was an appalling sequence of events with appalling consequences, and his behaviour after the impact, as a disabled man lay dying in the road, was "reprehensible."

Judge Rose said: "You clearly had with you a mobile phone. Remorse would have been to dial 999 and call for help for him. You didn't do that. You left him and made no effort to help him. You showed no concern for him, only for yourself."

Hussain was disqualified from driving for four years and ordered to take an extended retest.

Michael McDermott's son, David, said Hussain should have received a 15-year sentence.

Mr McDermott said: "Four years for my Dad's life is not justice.

"I know the judge did what he could within the law, but I am disgusted that the law does not permit a much longer sentence for what he did.

"I feel strongly enough about this to want to campaign to have the law changed. People are still driving like this all the time. The number of accidents on that road are unbelievable. The only way to stop people driving like this is to give them much longer prison sentences. More cameras and street lighting are not going to make any difference.

"We need to lobby local councillors and MPs. They need to see the victims, to listen to the people affected. That would make a difference."

Sergeant Carol Greaves, of West Yorkshire Police's Major Collision Enquiry Team, said Mr McDermott was correctly crossing the road when he was hit by the car Hussain was driving.

Sgt Greaves said: "Najeeb Hussain was a disqualified driver, who not only took it upon himself to drive a car that day, but did so at a dangerous and excessive speed which resulted in the tragic death of Mr McDermott.

"There is no sentence that can ease the pain of the loss for his family."