A DRINK driver who mowed down and killed a pedestrian in a car he should not have been in, has been sent to jail for four years.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Kamran Ahmed, 21, was being chased by police and his passengers were begging him to stop before he hit retired businessman Mr Mohammed Younis, 59, as he crossed Commercial Street, Brierfield.

Ahmed, who had never even had a driving lesson, left Mr Younis lying in the road, hit a wall, abandoned the car and ran off.

He had turned off the vehicle's lights and sentencing him, Judge Raymond Bennett said no doubt Mr Younis never had a chance to see him.

After the hearing, father of four Mr Younis' son Naeem said he was very disappointed with the sentence and said it did not reflect his family's loss.

He said getting behind the wheel of a car over the limit was akin to "having a gun in your hands," and he had hoped for a deterrent sentence.

The defendant, of Halifax Road, Brierfield, had earlier admitted causing death by dangerous driving on 13 March, taking a vehicle without consent, driving with excess alcohol, not having a licence, and no insurance. He was also banned from driving for five years.

Kendal Lindley, prosecuting, said Ahmed had taken the car keys from a house the owner of the car, a Toyota Corolla, was visiting on 11 March. He had been seen drinking during the afternoon before he drove it off. About two hours later, at about 7.10pm, police saw the car, spotted the people in it weren't wearing seat belts and intended to stop it.

Officers put on their flashing blue lights and sirens after the defendant appeared to try and evade them, but they had no effect on Ahmed who accelerated.

He then drove through the back streets of Brierfield, ignoring Give Way signs, a No Entry sign and going through a red traffic light.

Mr Lindley said Ahmed then turned off his lights as he turned into Commercial Street and ignored another Give Way junction. He made no attempt to stop or break as Mr Younis crossed the road and the pedestrian was thrown into the air, came down on the car windscreen and bonnet and landed in the road.

Mr Younis was taken to hospital but died two days later. Ahmed was pursued by police and caught and a blood sample later showed he had 89 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 mililitres of breath -- the legal limit is 80. He had no previous convictions.

Mohammed Nawaz, defending, said the case was desperately sad. Ahmed was a depressed and frightened young man and acutely aware he was facing a substantial term of custody.

He had had the good sense and courage to plead guilty at the very first opportunity and his deep remorsel was genuine and heartfelt.

Ahmed came from a very close-knit Muslim community, the defendant's family had known the victim, although not well and had had permission to attend Mr Younis' funeral at the Mosque.

Mr Nawaz said Ahmed had not driven at grossly excessive speeds or mounted the pavement and his behaviour had been caused by stupidity, immaturity and drink, which impaired his thinking. He had panicked when he realised the police were on his tail.

The barrister added the defendant was scared of the length of prison term he would be given and of the nightmares about the terrible consequences of what he had done on "that fateful day."