The driver of a car which killed a popular Ashford boss has been branded “a road menace” by a judge.

Junel Miah, 28, was at the wheel of a car which was travelling at two-and-a-half times the speed limit along Somerset Road last September.

Danyl Ponsford, the 26-year-old manager of Xpress Games in North Street, was returning home after buying a pizza when his car was hit by Junel’s vehicle.

Part of the harrowing 80mph smash was caught on CCTV and shown to the jury at Canterbury Crown Court.

After they returned a guilty verdict on death by dangerous driving the judge revealed that Junel, of Magazine Road, Ashford had three previous convictions for using a mobile while at the wheel of a vehicle.

Now Judge James O’Mahony has remanded him in custody until January when he will be sentenced, after telling him: “I have now been told you have three convictions for using a mobile phone while driving, and now you have caused the death of a loving and much-loved young man by your behaviour behind the wheel of your car.

“You are a menace on the road!”

Prosecutor Piers Knowle-Reed had told how Mr Ponsford had gone to Domino’s Pizza on the A292 Ashford ring road.

He said he had collected the pizza and had placed it on the passenger’s seat of his red Toyota Celica.

The prosecutor said that he then made “what might be described as an ill-advised maneuvre” by crossing over the four-lane road to return home.

But before he could complete it, his vehicle was struck by Miah’s VW Golf vehicle as he was on his way to leave it at the home of a mechanic awaiting an MOT.

"You are a menace on the road" - Judge James O'Mahony

Mr Knowle-Reed told the jury that experts for both the prosecution and defence had agreed that at the time of the horrific accent, Miah’s car was travelling at between 70 to 80 mph on the 30 mph road.

After his arrest, Miah told police officers that he had been travelling at between 25-30 mph.

Sentence was adjourned until January pending probation reports.