A joy-rider who fled from police following a night of drinking killed his friend after he lost control of the stolen car.

27-year-old Joseph Lane and his passenger Brandon Griffin were both flung from the Vauxhall Vectra after it spun through the air after smashing into a telegraph pole and a wall.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Lane received some minor injuries but 21-year-old Mr Griffin was fatally injured and died the next day.

A judge was told on Monday, April 8 that Lane says he will never be able to forgive himself for what happened.

Jailing Lane, of Kirkland Avenue, Tranmere for eight and a half years Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, described his behaviour as a “sustained course of dangerous driving.”

He banned Lane, who pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, from driving for 12 years three months. The court heard that he had no licence or insurance.

Geoffrey Lowe, prosecuting, said that the car had been stolen from the driveway of a house in Rosedale Avenue, Bebington at 7.40 am on October 22, 2017.

About 20 minutes later it was in the possession of Mr Griffin and within the hour he was in the passenger seat with Lane driving.

Lane had been drinking beer and vodka all night before police began following the Vauxhall on Old Chester Road, Birkenhead for about half an hour. He sped through a red traffic light at speeds around 60mph before entering a right hand bend on Bebington Road, Rock Ferry.

“The defendant, it seems, lost control and the car went into the opposing lane onto a grass verge. While travelling across that verge there was a telegraph pole and the vehicle collided into it. There is a clear indentation on the passenger side.

“It knocked out a brick wall, and when it hit that wall it took off into the air, inverted, and landed on its roof.”

The officers, who were travelling at 50mph, had lost sight of the Vectra as it accelerated away on Bebington Road, and caught up just as it was spinning through the air.

Lane was hurled over a 5ft wall into a garden while Mr Griffin landed on the road.

The court heard despite the desperate first-aid efforts of the pursuing officers, an off-duty nurse and then medics, he died the following day due to blunt force trauma to the head.

Lane was not seriously injured in the collision, suffering a broken rib, and refused to allow an alcohol sample to be taken.

Judge Flewitt said “it is a reasonable inference from evidence of eye witnesses of your drinking that you were significantly over the limit for driving.”

He was identified as the driver by one of the pursuing officers and after his DNA was found in traces of saliva on the air-bag of the wrecked Vectra.

Lane initially claimed he had been the passenger and pleaded not guilty to the offence. He had been due to face trial trial but changed his plea to guilty at the last minute.

Judge Flewitt told Lane, who has 64 previous convictions including aggravated vehicle taking and interfering with and taking vehicles, that he accepted his remorse was genuine.

“I accept for the rest of your life who you will have to live with what you have done.”

The judge said, “It is clear Brandon Griffin brought the stolen car to you and allowed you to drive it but there is no evidence he encouraged you to drive in the dangerous manner which led to his death.”

He pointed out that there was no impact report from the victim’s family, saying, “Mr Griffin’s family, as is their right, declined to make a victim personal statement so I know very little about him or his background. Nevertheless, I have no doubt his death has left a void in the lives of all those who loved him.”

Ian Harris, defending, said his client had written a letter to the court detailing his remorse.

He said, “ It's right that I say in public that this letter says he will never forgive himself for what happened.”

“He acknowledges the impending sentence as the least he deserves as his friend has lost his life, and he acknowledges that he has done a lot of wrong in his life.”

He said the background was anti-social and selfish and it “created a perfect storm which led to the death off Mr Griffin.”

As Lane was led to the cells he blew a kiss to his partner, who was in the public gallery with her sister.