A MAN who caused a New Year's Eve crash which killed his youngest brother was today jailed for two years.

Lee Pritchard-Jones, 25, of Ladyhill Road, Newport, had previously admitted driving without due care and attention while almost twice over the alcohol limit, driving without a licence or insurance.

He appeared at Cardiff crown court for sentence today.

The court heard John-Paul Johnson died when a Sierra car driven by the defendant smashed into a lamppost on Chepstow Road, Newport, following a night's drinking in town.

Mr Johnson, a front seat passenger, died instantly and another man in the rear of the vehicle suffered serious leg injuries.

During a police interview Pritchard-Jones admitted driving in a reckless manner and well over the 30mph speed limit.

He had been drinking lager and vodka at his mother's house before driving into town where he consumed more alcohol.

A blood test showed he was nearly twice over the legal alcohol limit and traces of cannabis were also found in his blood.

After reading letters from Pritchard-Jones' brother Barry Johnson and his mother, Judge William Gaskell said the two years imprisonment was nothing compared to the lifetime of suffering awaiting the defendant.

He said that whatever the length of imprisonment he received it would, in the context of his life, be over relatively quickly but the circumstances which led to his brother's death would live with him forever.

Pritchard-Jones was also banned from driving for five years.