The driver of a high-performance sports car which crashed into a tree killing a 26-year-old Ilkley woman has spoken of his regret.

Scott Dry, who denies causing the death of Rachel Scantlebury by dangerous driving, made his remarks as he gave evidence to a crown Court jury yesterday.

Miss Scantlebury had been sitting on the lap of passenger John Oddy when Dry's two-seater TVR Griffith 500 went out of control and crashed in July 2004.

Bradford Crown Court heard that 42-year-old Dry had owned the vehicle for five years, but he explained how his everyday car was a Mercedes automatic and he only used the TVR in the summer months.

Dry told the jury he had a very limited recollection of events after he began to lose control of the car at the junction of Queens Road and Princess Road, Ilkley, but he denied he had been showing off or driving dangerously

When asked by his barrister Andrew Stubbs how he felt about the accident he replied: "The accident's been devastating and I deeply regret the accident. I can only sympathise with Rachel's family and friends."

Mr Dry said he had known Miss Scantlebury as a friend for about 10 years and everybody had been in a good mood as he drove the short distance to his home in Westwood Mount from a takeaway in Ilkley town centre.

He claimed not to have been entirely comfortable about having three people in the car, but said it was only a two or three- minute journey to his home.

Although there was a 30mph limit on the road where the accident took place Dry conceded that he thought it was a 40mph road and had been doing about that speed. He said he had not been rushing to get home or showing off in the car.

"I've very limited memory beyond the point when I felt the car slide or skid," he said. "My instant reaction was to turn the wheel and that was the last recollection."

A police accident investigator has estimated the TVR could have been travelling at more than 50mph when Dry lost control, but he maintained he had not accelerated harshly and had been driving carefully.

During cross-examination prosecutor Ian Howard pressed Dry about differences in the statements he made to police the day after the accident and four months later in October 2004.

But Dry said during the first interview he was still in shock and "traumatised".

In his evidence to the jury, Dry stated that he did not believe he had braked when the car began to slide, but Mr Howard noted he had said he braked in his first police interview and asked why his account had changed between July and October.

"A lot of time had past and at the time of the interviews I was extremely confused," replied Dry. "I still, to this day, don't know. I may have braked. I don't believe I did."

Dry rejected a suggestion from Mr Howard that he was saying he hadn't braked because braking would have indicated a high speed.

The trial resumes on Monday.