A TEENAGER with practically no driving experience killed his best friend by overtaking at speed on the A19 in North Yorkshire, York Crown Court heard.

Motorist Peter Jones cried: "Look at that!" as Matthew Paul Lee hurtled past him on the A19 near Riccall at a speed Mr Jones put at between 90mph and 100mph.

Peter Moulson, prosecuting, said Lee lost control while overtaking; his car somersaulted and crashed into a lamppost. Despite the efforts of a passing doctor and a soldier trained in first-aid, his front-seat passenger and best friend Craig Adamson, 18, died later in hospital.

Police investigating the crash said Lee was travelling at 86mph to 89mph as he skidded.

But they could not say what speed he had done before the brakes went on.

He had taken only three driving lessons, and his driving instructor said he was not ready to drive on the open road, said Mr Moulson.

But in the hours leading up to the crash at 6.30pm on November 20, last year, he had driven around York, showing off to his girlfriend by overtaking at speed and missing gears.

He claimed the car he was driving was his when it was a friend's, and that he had passed his driving test, said Mr Moulson.

He collided with a parked car as he left Mr Adamson's home.

As he drove in convoy towards Selby, he was at times only feet behind Mr Jones's car in front.

Describing Lee as an "ordinary 18-year-old" at the time of the crash, Judge James Spencer QC said he had caused a tragedy for both teenagers' families, both of whom were in court, as were their friends.

"Whatever I do will not be enough or will be too much. There is nothing I can do to bring the boy back," he said.

He jailed Lee for two years and banned him from driving for two years.

"There are other ordinary 18-year-olds who are often tempted to drive like this and they must know, as you must know, there are consequences and that there is a penalty to be paid if such a tragedy occurs."

Lee, now 19, of Woodland Chase, Water Lane, Clifton, cried as he entered the dock and throughout the judge's sentencing remarks. He had admitted causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing.

After the crash, Lee spent three days in intensive care and more than two weeks in hospital, said Mr Moulson. The judge said that he had not yet fully recovered from his injuries.

Defence barrister Richard Newbury said Lee had no memories between leaving Tang Hall Bridge an hour before the crash and three weeks afterwards. But he had accepted his responsibility for it. He had since vowed never to drive again.

"Craig was his best friend," said Mr Newbury. "They grew up together, they had seen each other very regularly. There is not a moment goes by without him thinking of Craig."

Mr Moulson said Lee's friend, Christopher Alexander Barham, 22, of Glebe Avenue, Full Sutton, lent him the Citroen car on the strict understanding he would only drive it to a local food store.

Barham has since served six months in jail for perverting the course of justice by claiming that Lee took the car without consent.

Updated: 11:02 Friday, October 11, 2002