Edinburgh New Year's Day crash driver jailed

David Gaspar died of injuries sustained in the crash

A man whose dangerous driving caused the death of a Hungarian man who came to Edinburgh for a "better life" has been jailed for three and a half years.

Eric Finlayson, 59, was behind the wheel of his Vauxhall Moka when it crashed on 1 January 2016 with a Ford Fusion being driven by David Gaspar.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Finlayson was driving at 65 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Finlayson pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving last month.

Mr Gaspar was working as a takeaway driver.

He had came to live in the Edinburgh in September 2015 and was living with relatives at a house in Barn Park.

The court heard how Mr Gaspar was driving in Sighthill and was turning right from the junction at Dumbryden Drive at 18:40 on New Years Day.

The court heard how as he turned onto Murrayburn Road, Mr Gaspar should have seen Finlayson's car approaching from his right.

However, Finlayson was driving at such a speed Mr Gaspar did not have time to react.

'Life ahead of him'

The 20-year-old Hungarian sustained a serious head injury and medics at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary were forced to remove his spleen in an attempt to save his life.

However, doctors were unable to save him and he died on 11 January. His parents had travelled from Hungary to be at their son's side.

On Tuesday, the judge Lord Boyd told Finlayson: "This was a young man who had his life ahead of him and who lost that life as a result of your dangerous driving.

"Nothing I can do or say and no sentence I can pass can compensate for his loss.

"The charge narrates that at the time of the impact you were travelling at excessive speeds of up to 65 miles per hour.

"The speed limit is 30 miles per hour. It is clear that the accident would not have occurred had you been travelling within the speed limit."