Loving father-of-two died after Northampton driver accelerated into him while trying to impress another motorist on Wellingborough Road

An teenage driver who killed a father-of-two by accelerating into him while messing around on Northampton's Wellingborough Road has been jailed.

Callum Richardson, of Fuller Road, Moulton, accelerated and hit Mr Salem Lufti at 48mph on the busy town centre street while seemingly trying to impress a driver behind him.

The 19-year-old driver did not even brake before colliding with the beloved Northampton dad, who was trying to cross the road on a night out.

In fact, at his sentencing at Northampton Crown Court today (November 19), the judge heard it was likely Richardson was staring at his rearview mirror as he floored the accelerator pedal of his Ford Fiesta, reportedly to impress a BMW driver behind him.

A witness statement from a pedestrian on the night of August 17, 2019, was read out in court. She said: "I watched as the car flashed past at a remarkable speed.

"I didn't see the collision. I heard a loud bang from just down the road and turned my head to see an object flying in the air. It was so loud I thought it had hit a car.

"Then I heard screams from other passersby... I ran to him and asked someone to call 999. I stroked his hair and waited for the ambulance to arrive."

Richardson - who the court heard had accelerated from 30mph to 48mph in the space of 18 metres - had hit Mr Salem Lufti, a husband and father of two on a night out who had less than a second to react to the Ford Fiesta accelerating at him.

He was knocked unconscious in the collision and was rushed to Northampton General, but died later that night. He was 47.

In court, a statement from his wife was read out in court. She said: "Having to deal with the difficulties and shock of having Salem taken from us is beyond words.

"On that night, not only did I lose my husband and the father of our two young children but also my best friend.

"Watching our son try to call him father on his phone and send him text messages asking him to come back has been heartbreaking.

"We talk about his often to try and keep his memory alive. I tell them both every day that their father loves them so much."

Richardson pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at court today - although in his initial statement to the police, he denied the charge and claimed Mr Lufti "suddenly walked in front of my car and there was nothing I could have done to avoid him".

The court heard Richardson reportedly thought another driver in a BMW was a friend of his. In the moments before the accident, the 19-year-old driver overtook the BMW, sprayed it with his windscreen washer and slowed down in front of it before accelerating away - only to then hit Mr Lufti.

There was no attempt to brake until around two seconds after the collision.

The court heard Richardson - who was reportedly studying law at the time - was "deeply remorseful for taking the life of another".

His Honour Judge Rupert Mayo ruled that he could not spare the 20-year-old from prison.

He said: "I make it absolutely plain that no penalty that I pass can possibly be used to calculate the worth of the life Salem. His life was beyond measure.

"Your speed ought to have been 15 or 20 miles per hour but your speed was grossly in excess of that. Your driving created a substantial risk of danger."

Richardson was jailed for three years and disqualified from driving.