A driver who inhaled nitrous oxide from a balloon before and after killing an elderly cyclist at a pedestrian crossing has been jailed.
Cain Byrne, 20, ignored a red light and hit Graham Slinn, 81, while going well over the 50mph limit.
He has been sentenced to 11 years and six months’ detention in a young offenders institution, with an extended licence period of five years.
He was also banned from driving for 17 years and eight months.
Father-of-two Byrne, of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and a number of other offences at a previous hearing.
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An earlier hearing was told Mr Slinn had dismounted and was walking across the A57 near Todwick, South Yorkshire, when he was hit by a Volkswagen Golf driven by Byrne.
Byrne sped off with two passengers after the crash on April 4, with dashcam footage showing his tyres smoking as he appeared to be trying to control the vehicle.
The court was shown footage of Byrne inhaling nitrous oxide gas from a yellow balloon a number of times as he was driving, both before and after he struck Mr Slinn.
This included a clip of him inhaling it just moments after he hit the retired builder, who helped care for adults with learning in his retirement years.
He was just weeks from celebrating his 60th wedding anniversary with his wife Jaqueline.
As he sentenced Byrne, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said inhaling nitrous oxide was ‘an exceptionally dangerous act while driving’.
He said Mr Slinn was ‘crossing the road entirely lawfully, in accordance with the green light for him’, and ‘died of injuries inflicted by your truly appalling driving’.
The judge acknowledged Byrne ‘endured a dreadful upbringing’ and ‘had known very few boundaries’ in his life.
But he added: “You are a dangerous offender and the public must be protected from your evident dangerous and ingrained criminal behaviour.”
Byrne was due to be sentenced last month but, after hearing about his ‘astonishing and appalling’ driving record, Judge Richardson said he wanted a report prepared by probation officers.
The court heard Byrne had a range of convictions for 27 offences, including dangerous driving, despite having no driving licence.
More to come.
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