by Keith Hunt

A boxer caused the death of a teenage passenger in his car after he was knocked down in a bout and drove against medical advice, a court heard.

Johan Pema was also a banned driver when he crashed head-on into another car on the A21 Pembury Road, Tonbridge, in the early hours of April 4, causing the driver serious injuries.

Enrik Rrukaj, 19, was sitting in the back seat of the Toyota Previa people carrier. He suffered serious spinal injuries and died four days later in Stanmore Hospital, Middlesex.

Now, Pema, of Swaffham, Norfolk, has been jailed for four years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, having no insurance and giving a false name and address.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Pema, a 30-year-old sports trainer, Enrik, of Turkey Road, Sidley, Bexhill, and others had been to a boxing contest in Kingston, Surrey.

Anthony Prosser, prosecuting, said film of the evening showed Pema being floored three times.

A doctor there said Pema took substantial blows to the head. She advised him to be checked at hospital and not to drive, as it could take up to 48 hours for concussion to develop.

"This defendant had a long tiring day, had been involved in physical exertions of the fight and had been knocked down repeatedly and advised not to drive afterwards," said Mr Prosser.

Pema ignored the advice and headed for Hastings and at 1.20am he crashed into a Suzuki Baleno car driven by Alexandra McMaster.

The prosecutor said there was no obvious explanation for the accident.

"Mrs McMaster was driven off the road," he said. "She was trapped for a short while. She received substantial injuries."

They included a broken right collarbone, left wrist and forearm, two ribs and a cracked vertebra in the neck. She had a deep gash to her left shin.

She had been babysitting her grandchildren in Pembury on Mothering Sunday.

Pema gave a false name and address in Hastings. He claimed he had been driving behind a lorry that swerved just before the crash.

But Mr Prosser said it was not accepted there was a lorry there.

Pema, born in Albania, had been disqualified for a year in October 2006 for dangerous driving and was still banned because he had not taken a fresh test.