A BUSINESSMAN has been jailed for four years after his dangerous driving killed a retired teacher at a notorious accident blackspot.

Faisal Ali, 28, was travelling at an estimated 70mph when he overtook another car on the A171 Whitby to Guisborough road by Tranmire in September 2013.

He ignored signs of an approaching blind summit, the word “slow” painted on the road and double white lines instructing him not to overtake.

Then his Mercedes slammed head-on into a Vauxhall Vectra coming the other way, leaving driver Leslie Anthony Barrett with fatal injuries.

The 65-year-old, from Sleights, near Whitby, was on his way home from band practice in Castleton. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ali, from Oxford Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, was returning from a trip to Whitby with his wife of one week. His multiple injuries included a shattered knee and internal bleeding and he was kept in the trauma ward for a month.

At a trial in February a jury found him guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and today (Wednesday, April 8), he appeared at Leeds Crown Court for sentencing.

Ali’s counsel, Sasha Wass QC said it was a momentary error of judgment not a case of prolonged bad driving and in a letter to the court Ali said memories of “that horrible night will stay with me forever.”

But Judge Guy Kearl said only an immediate prison sentence was appropriate and told Ali it was “plainly obvious to anyone approaching the brow of the hill that it was dangerous to attempt an overtaking manoeuvre.”

Mr Barrett, known as Tony to his friends, was a popular local figure who taught for more than 20 years at Airy Hill Primary School in Whitby.

His daughter Claire Sinclair told the court the death of her father - when she was pregnant with her second child - had been devastating for all who knew him.

She said her mother had felt unable to continue living in the home she had shared with her husband and had moved south to be nearer her and her brother.

In a statement issued afterwards the family said: “Faisal Ali has shown no acceptance of his flagrant disregard for the road or its users. Since the evening of September 8, 2013 and during his trial he has shown only remorse for himself.

“Mr Ali caused the death of a wonderful husband who would have celebrated his 43rd wedding anniversary five days ago with his devoted wife Val. We could not have wished for a more caring and funny dad, grandad and brother.”