AN UNLICENSED driver who caused his stepsister's death while in a road race has been jailed for seven years.

Aaron Bridgeman, formerly of Abertillery, was sentenced at Newport Crown Court yesterday after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial.

He was also sentenced to four months for failing to stop after an accident and for three months for failing to report an accident. Both of these will run concurrently. The Argus reported how Bridgeman had pleaded guilty to these additional charges.

He was also disqualified from driving for six years.

Bridgeman, 35, of Lansbury Park, Caerphilly, was following close behind motorcyclist Jason Szalkowski when the bike crashed on the wet country lane, a court had heard.

Bridgeman’s stepsister, Claire 'Vicky' Franklin, was riding pillion on the motorbike in Pandy Lane near Llanbradach.

She fell off the bike and into the path of Bridgeman's Peugeot car. Ms Franklin died and the biker was left brain damaged.

Before sentencing, Newport Judge Daniel Williams heard in mitigation how Bridgeman feels remorse and that the victim was his stepsister, while his parents are also victims of the incident.

Judge Williams described the scene as a “race” between the pair taking place in “atrocious” weather conditions.

He added: “You raced each other for the next half a mile travelling at excessive speed until the inevitable happened.

“You were only half a second apart when the bike went over. They came off the bike and you drove into her. It was the impact that caused her death.”

He reminded the court that Bridgeman then left the scene, leaving a witness to call emergency services, before later handing himself to the police.

As part of the trial, police records revealed that both Bridgeman and his friend Mr Szalkowski had previously been sentenced for driving while disqualified.

Mr Szalkowski had eight offences of driving while disqualified, nine of driving without insurance and one of dangerous driving recorded against him.

Meanwhile, Bridgeman already had three offences of driving while disqualified on his record.

He had never held a licence and drove without insurance of the day of the crash, the court heard.

Bridgeman denied one count of causing death by dangerous driving on December 23, 2013.

It took a jury around one hour and 40 minutes to unanimously find him guilty of the charge.

He pleaded guilty to driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, driving without insurance, failing to stop after an accident, and failing to report an accident.