THE brother of a man tragically killed in a horror wrong-way crash on the M606 has hit out over the sentence handed to 16-year-old killer driver Jack Simpson.

The teenager was only 15 when he crashed head-on into a taxi on the southbound carriageway on June 13.

Taxi driver Sohail Ali, 28, and his passenger Simon McHugh, 49, were pronounced dead at the scene. Kyden Leadbeater, 18, who was a passenger in a van, died in hospital a day later.

Simpson pleaded guilty to three charges of causing death by dangerous driving and one charge of dangerous driving on the same date.

He was sentenced to six years’ detention and will serve half that period, less his time on remand, then will be released on licence.

It means he will be approaching the age of 19 when he is freed.

Judge Richard Mansell QC, the Recorder of Bradford, said the sentences “will be regarded by many as placing a wholly inadequate value on the lives of Mr Ali, Mr McHugh and Mr Leadbeater”.

He told Simpson: “They are not intended to place a value on their lives, and the sentences are in truth the maximum sentences I could pass on you for such offences.”

Mr McHugh’s brother Alastair wrote on Facebook: “Well what can I say? Three years in custody for killing three people!

“Is that justice? So upset it hurts it hurts so much! My brother’s life only seems to be worth 12 months.”

Sentencing Simpson, Judge Mansell told him "life is priceless". 

In his remarks, he stated: “You ploughed straight into the taxi and caused it to leap into the air. You didn’t even brake and were travelling at around 70 mph.

“Mr Ali was just 28, Mr McHugh 49. Both were killed as a result of massive injuries and died at the scene.

“Your front seat passenger on the nearside, 18-year-old Kyden Leadbeater, took the brunt of the collision and was so seriously injured that he died hours later in hospital.

“Nothing that I can do by way of sentencing you today can possibly compensate the families and friends of these three men who tragically lost their lives as a result of your senseless driving of that van.

“The sentence should not be taken as putting a value on their lives. Life is priceless.

“You were seriously injured in the crash but have recovered largely from your injuries.

“You will carry with you for the rest of your life the responsibility for killing these three young men and bringing untold grief and pain to their families.”