DRINK-DRIVER Daemon MacKay was today starting five years in jail for killing much-loved Selby couple Stephen and Susan Groves.

The postman drove his Ford Mondeo into the back of the couple's Vauxhall Corsa on a level stretch of the A1041 near Camblesforth, said Tony Kelbrick, prosecuting.

Then he sped off as they were catapulted out of their car and it crashed into two trees, York Crown Court heard.

A breath test nearly two hours later showed he was one-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit.

He told police he was doing slightly more than the 60mph speed limit for the road, but Judge Jonathan Crabtree said the damage he caused indicated he could well have been driving far faster.

Police have been unable to establish his real speed, the court heard.

MacKay's barrister, Justin Crossley, said his local community had shunned him, and his father had received death threats following the midnight accident last August.

But Mr Groves's brother, John, called out after sentence that the family had caused MacKay no trouble and vehemently disputed the defence claims. The dead husband and wife were born and bred in Selby. Mr Groves was a bus driver, Mrs Groves worked at a local bank. Both were so well-known and liked that nearly 500 people attended their funeral.

Passing sentence, Judge Jonathan Crabtree said: "You simply drove into the back of the car that was driving in front of you... and the result is the death of two people, a married couple who had children deprived of their parents by your shockingly bad driving.

"How you can have failed to see this car in front remains a mystery. Perhaps the answer is that you must have dozed off asleep."

Newly-wed MacKay, who turned 29 a few days ago, of Highfield Green, Sherburn-in-Elmet, pleaded guilty to two offences of causing death by careless driving while drink-driving.

He was jailed for five years, banned from driving for three and ordered to take an extended driving test. He has a previous conviction for doing 43mph in a 30mph speed limit.

The Groves's family were too overcome with emotion to say anything as they left court.

Mr Crossley said MacKay had realised he had "clipped" something and had stopped 400 yards away at the Black Dog pub so he could call the police.

He had not seen the Corsa's rear red lights until just before the collision.

"He is very sorry for what happened. He wishes he could turn the clock back," said the defence barrister.

MacKay and his family had suffered "widespread abuse" from their local community, said Mr Crossley.

"The father of Mr MacKay has received a death threat, not directed at him, but directed to his son. They have found themselves shunned in the local shops."

The night of the crash, MacKay had been playing snooker at a sports and social club where the Groves's daughter works. Since then, staff there had refused to serve him.

MacKay had married just before going to jail so he could cement his relationship with his wife, 23-year-old Nicky Hutchinson. They have a two-month-old young baby.

Tributes poured in for Mr and Mrs Groves in the days following their deaths last August.

PICTURE: COURT SHAME: Daemon MacKay bows his head as he leaves York Crown Court after being jailed for five years after admitting two charges of causing death by careless driving while drink-driving