A WANTED death-driver chef at a Blackburn takeaway who was caught out because of ants in his dirty kitchen has been jailed for three years.

Chinese immigrant Tian Bin Xue, 37, had been hiding away making fish and chips at Zen Zen Chinese takeaway in Redlam, back in 2008, when a council environmental health inspection led to a prosecution.

He was wanted by West Yorkshire police for causing death by dangerous driving after mowing down 91-year-old Olive Stephens as she crossed Longroyd View, Beeston, near Leeds, in July 2006.

When police finally caught up with the failed asylum seeker, he was found cowering in an upstairs wardrobe above the Blackburn premises in January.

The takeaway has since passed a more recent inspection and is now under new ownership.

Following yesterday’s sentencing by Judge James Goss QC at Leeds Crown Court, Richard Horn, Mrs Stephens' son said: “Tian Bin Xue’s actions in reversing over my mother, driving over her again and leaving her to die were extremely cold and callous, and I am disappointed that he did not face a charge of manslaughter.

“However, we are delighted that he has finally been brought to justice."

Detective Superintendent Paul Taylor, of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, led the investigation into Olive Stephens’ death.

He said: “It is testament to the tireless work and dedication of detectives and civilian research officers over the last four years that he was finally arrested and convicted, so justice could be secured for Mrs Stephens.”

Despite a number of appeals in the Leeds area and even putting Xue’s mug shot on the Crimewatch ‘wanted’ board last April, Xue had slipped across the Pennines and into East Lancashire.

After the raid in 2008 - which followed a complaint from a shocked customer who found ants in his food - the prosecution result was put on to the police national computer database and West Yorkshire detectives, acting on their intelligence, sent a picture of Xue to the environmental health officer to identify him.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to causing Mrs Stephens’ death by dangerous driving, but claimed he thought he had hit a kerb.