Man jailed over taxi driver crash death after 'rampage'

Police said Aiden King-Eeson had attended a party and taken drugs before the "driving rampage"

A man has been jailed after killing a taxi driver in a crash during a "driving rampage".

Aiden King-Eeson had cocaine in his system when he took a car after a party and sped through Nottingham on 4 July.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he was on the wrong side of the road and doing 74mph in a 30 zone when he hit the car driven by Gurmit Singh Matharu.

King-Eeson pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for eight years.

Nottinghamshire Police said King-Eeson, 25, of no fixed abode but originally from Birmingham, had taken cocaine and attended a house party in Hucknall the previous evening.

Gurmit Singh Matharu was travelling home to celebrate his son's birthday

He took a BMW without permission and was recorded on a speed camera on Nuthall Road in Aspley travelling at 61mph in a 30 zone.

He then went on to Valley Road at 53mph in a 40 zone before driving through Sherwood, where he ignored a red traffic light.

He clipped a lorry near to the Goose Fair roundabout before driving through two more red traffic lights along Gregory Boulevard.

While overtaking a car near the junction with Birkin Avenue, he collided head-on with Mr Matharu's taxi.

• Latest news and stories from the East Midlands

The 54-year-old, who was going home to celebrate his son's birthday, was pronounced dead at the scene.

King-Eeson also admitted driving while unfit through drink or drugs, aggravated vehicle taking and driving without insurance and a licence.

He was also banned from driving for eight years.

Mr Matharu's daughter, Sandeep Matharu, said: "My dad was on his way home from work but he never made it. He fell victim to King-Eeson, whose selfish and reckless actions gave dad no chance of survival.

"Dad died on the side of the street, with no family with him, which is something that will haunt us all forever. We lost the pillar of our family that day."

Det Sgt Adam Cooper said: "He [King-Eeson] was relentless in his driving rampage, only stopping when he had taken the life of an innocent man who just so happened to be another object in his way."