A MAN who fled across a field after his dangerous driving killed a woman on the M40 has been jailed.

Akashdeep Singh was driving a Peugeot van northbound on the M40, between junctions 11 and 12, at 7.10pm on the Saturday, September 28, last year.

Singh, of Twydale Avenue in Oldbury, had been disqualified from driving only two days before.

There had already been a collision on that stretch of road and other vehicles had slowed right down to avoid the hazard.

Warwickshire Police said that Singh did not slow down despite having ample warning and he crashed into the back of a Hyundai with such force that it collided with a large Mercedes van and pushed it out of the way.

An off-duty paramedic assisted, finding the man driving the Hyundai was seriously injured while, a woman in the passenger seat had died.

Singh - whose van doors had been jammed shut in the crash - climbed out of the window and fled across fields.

Officers launched an appeal to find Singh and he later handed himself in.

He was then charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, causing death by driving whilst disqualified, causing serious injury by driving whilst disqualified, and causing death by driving a vehicle – driver unlicensed /uninsured.

At Warwick Crown Court on March 31, he was jailed for seven years and eight months.

DC Sam Bates of the Collision Investigation Unit said: "We welcome this sentence. It has been harrowing to see the devastation that Singh's irresponsible, selfish actions have caused.

"A family now has to spend the rest of their lives without a beloved mother, wife and sister.

"Fleeing the scene of collision that he caused made his actions even more appalling.

"I hope this serves as a reminder to all that we are each responsible for each other's safety on the roads. And that stupid, reckless and selfish behaviour has devastating consequences."