A motorist whose appalling and aggressive driving caused the death of a taxi driver has been jailed for three years.

Paul Elston, a roofer, was trying to overtake on the A27 as he drove from work to his flat in Hove when he caused a six-car crash.

Cabbie Derek Ferguson, 44, who was driving three special needs pupils home from school in Lewes, died from his injuries.

Several other people were hurt in the crash, including a 14-year-old boy in the cab who suffered a broken pelvis and a 14-year-old girl passenger who suffered whiplash.

Elston, 25, who moved to Fair Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, following the crash, showed no emotion as he was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court for causing death by dangerous driving.

The judge, Mrs Justice Anne Rafferty, told him: "Your unforgivable and aggressive tailgating warned those innocent motorists near you that tragedy awaited.

"Poor, powerless Mr Ferguson, ferrying in his cab three children, lost his life because of you. Please God he died quickly.

"Members of his family might tell you of the living death they endure. This was a prolonged, persistent and deliberate course of very bad driving.

"This was neither a momentary error of judgement nor a short period of bad driving. This was a few minutes of appalling driving.

"No sentence this court can pass applies balm to the wounds of Mr Ferguson's loved ones."

The court heard the crash happened on July 14 last year at Firle Straight, a mile-long stretch of road between Lewes and Polegate.

Witnesses told police how they became concerned about Elston's driving when they saw him repeatedly trying to overtake the car in front. He tailgated the vehicle and repeatedly pulled out over the centre line markings.

The crash happened when Elston, who was driving a Rover, pulled out once again without any warning to overtake and hit the taxi, which was travelling in the opposite direction. The taxi was sent into the path of a lorry while Elston's car then swerved into the path of other vehicles.

Jonathan Hall, prosecuting, told the court a police investigator described the accident as one of the worst scenes of devastation he had seen. An investigation concluded Elston was the sole cause.

Mr Ferguson, a divorced father of two, who lived in Chawbrook Road, Eastbourne, and worked for Direct Travel, based in Polegate, was cut free by firefighters from the wreckage of his Skoda Octavia and airlifted to hospital but doctors were unable to save him despite emergency surgery.

Elston, who suffered minor injuries, later told police he did not feel guilty because it was a "freak accident." But he did feel sorry for Mr Ferguson's family.

Neil Saunders, defending, said Elston, who was disqualified from driving in 1999 for driving with excess alcohol, had no memory of the crash but was remorseful. He said Elson had not driven since the accident and did not intend to drive again.

Elston was banned from driving for two-and-a-half years and ordered to take an extended driving test before he gets back his licence.