WITH VIDEO: Two drivers who raced each other at speeds of up to 140mph have been jailed.

Judge Simon Coltart told Daniel Carter and Austen Constantinou that their actions were “the most appalling driving I have ever seen”.

He added it was only blind luck that no one was killed.

Carter was driving a £36,000 Nissan Skylight while Constantinou was in a Nissan Primera as they drove along the A24.

They were both found guilty of dangerous driving following a trial earlier this year.

Yesterday they appeared at Lewes Crown Court to be sentenced.

Carter was jailed for six months while Constantinou received a four month prison term.

They were both banned from driving for a year and ordered to pay court costs of £3,400 each.

The court was told they drove along the northbound carriageway at Horsham during a Saturday lunchtime in May 2009.

For more than three minutes they reached speeds of 130mph with Carter’s car peaking at 140mph.

They were followed by a police officer riding an unmarked motorcycle who filmed the scene with a camera attached to his helmet.

Judge Coltart told Carter, who is now trying to sell his car for £22,000, that he did not appear to understand the seriousness of his actions.

Meanwhile, Judge Coltart told Constantinou: “You took up the challenge of racing which was utter stupidity.”

Addressing Carter, 27, of Dorset Avenue, East Grinstead, and Constantinou, 28, of Turner Court, East Grinstead, he said: “Mr Constantinou seems to accept [the seriousness] of this now.

“But [initially] neither of you accepted what you were doing was dangerous driving. This is a matter I fail to understand.

“It was not just speed. It was extremely high speed on both of your parts and also driving very close together.

“Thankfully this is not a case of causing death by dangerous driving.”

Neither man had any previous convictions.

Both men were bailed and will return to the same court on Wednesday to start their sentences.