A TEENAGE driver who admitted accidentally killing two motorcyclists yet walked free on a technicality has now been jailed.

Joshua Kempster crashed into grandfathers Andrew Cuthbert, 58, and Southampton man Gary Groves, 62, who had been out riding with friends.

Both men - who were 'extremely responsible drivers' - were killed at the scene, leaving their families 'devastated', the court heard.

The Crown Prosecution Service originally charged Kempster with dangerous driving and when he was acquitted by a jury he was able to walk free from court as they had failed to accept his guilty pleas to the lesser charge of death by careless driving.

However, six months on, the 19-year-old was today brought back to court, his pleas accepted and he was jailed for ten months for his part in the tragic crash on February 2 2020.

Julie Groves, Mr Groves' wife who had been with him since they were 15, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and she cried as she read her statement to the court.

The wife of Mr Groves, of Kinsbourne Close, Thornhill, Southampton, said: "I felt peace in my heart knowing Gary would be there for everybody in the future when I was gone. Why did you do this to Gary? Your actions were so shameful and totally unlawful."

After the hearing, Sarah Knight, the 36-year-old daughter of Gary Groves, said outside the court: "Kempster has changed our lives forever. You can't grieve when you have this going on and the stress and anxiety spills over into our lives."

Portsmouth Crown Court heard Kempster, of Church Lane, West Meon, was driving home with a friend in his Ford Fiesta Zetec near Bishop's Waltham and Corhampton when the crash happened at approximately 4pm.

The court heard Kempster had been looking at a vehicle approaching behind him in his rear view mirror for 'too long' resulting in him pulling out on a bend after getting too close to a Kia in front.

The hearing was told he then swerved back into the car, causing both vehicles to spin. The Kia exploded in a fireball, engulfing one rider while the other motorcyclist slammed into a fence. Neither had a chance to avoid the crash.