JUDGE Beverley Lunt said Amanda Bailey, killed in a hit-and-run by Athif Faiz in Nelson, was a loving mother.

She had read letters from her friends and family, expressing the devastation that they felt as a result of what he did.

Amanda’s mother, Joan, had described how she felt on auto-pilot and unable to function after the tragedy and had to look after her daughter’s three children, aged 13, three, and 11 months.

She felt she had not been able to grieve for her in the way she should.

Mrs Bailey said: “I feel sorry for the people responsible for her death, they will have to live with the guilt of taking Amanda’s life so abruptly.

“I hope they can come to terms with this and reflect on how they might have felt if one of their loved ones was so cruelly and abruptly taken.”

Detective Inspector Pete Broome, from the Force Major Investigation Team, said: “I hope that the conclusion of these proceedings will go some way to allowing Amanda’s family to move forward with their lives.

“Faiz’s actions that night led to the death of a young woman who had so much to live for.

"His actions have not only left three young children without a mother, but a mother and father without their much-loved daughter.

“This case highlights the stupidity of reckless, break-neck speeding, which played a huge part in this tragic incident.

"The terrible consequences of this collision should serve as a strong warning to people not to do this.

“Lancashire Constabulary will not tolerate this type of behaviour on the county’s roads and we are determined to bring those people who choose to drive in such an irresponsible manner to justice.”