AN amateur DJ boasted he was “mortalled”, “well accelerator happy” and had “dusted the bizzies” before ploughing his car into a tree, killing his friend.

David Richardson made the boasts in text messages he sent minutes before hitting a lamp post, a fence and a tree, in an accident which claimed the life of his front-seat passenger, Paul Hornsby.

Yesterday, Richardson was jailed indefinitely and banned from driving for ten years, after Judge Christopher Prince said he posed a significant risk to the public.

Sentencing him at Durham Crown Court, Judge Prince said: “These texts seem to indicate to me a man who seems to think that driving quickly is a matter of which he may boast. That’s a dangerous attitude in anybody.”

He added: “I see nothing that reassures me you would not behave in such a way again.”

Police had no record of a chase and there was no evidence Richardson was over the legal alcohol limit.

Julian Smith, mitigating, said he had no recollection of the text messages and they were no more than idle boasting.

Lesley Kirkup, prosecuting, said Richardson had 16 previous convictions for 71 offences, had served six custodial sentences before he was 19 and had bought the Peugeot 306 he crashed despite being banned from driving.

Judge Prince said Richardson had showed complete contempt for orders banning him from driving and a total lack of fear of a prison sentence.

“You are not just 18-years-old, you’re 27,” the judge told him. “You’ve conducted yourself for over a decade, as far as motoring offences are concerned, in a most concerning manner.”

The crash happened when Richardson, of Gainford, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, was driving northbound on the A167 near Plawsworth, at about 11.40pm, on October 25, 2008.

A driving instructor of 18 years’ experience, whose car he missed by inches, said Richardson was driving like an absolute madman, the court heard.

Estimates of his speed ranged from 70mph to 100mph.

Richardson suffered brain injuries and serious injuries to his lungs, kidneys and shoulder in the crash. He was in a coma for four weeks, his behaviour and personality has changed and he now suffers from memory loss, Mr Smith said.

Richardson, who admitted dangerous driving, had shown genuine remorse and pleaded guilty at the first reasonable opportunity, he told the court.

“He meant no hurt or harm or insult to anybody. Paul Hornsby was a friend of his,” he said.

Mr Hornsby, 37, of The Green, Chesterle- Street, County Durham, had a young daughter. His relatives learned of his death during a family holiday in Pitlochry, Scotland.

Afterwards, Mr Hornsby’s father, Stan, said: “Richardson has lost his freedom.

We have lost a loving son forever.

“I wish Richardson could feel the sadness and misery he has caused, then perhaps it could make him realise what he has done to us all.”