A motorist on a lifetime driving ban who killed a 52-year-old Sheerness man in a motorway smash has been jailed for nine years.

Stephen O'Reilly was described as driving "like a bat out of hell", reaching speeds in excess of 110mph shortly before he careered into a Peugeot 405 being driven by victim Andrew Gregory.

O'Reilly had driven for eight hours without a rest when the tragedy happened on the M2 near Sittingbourne on June 27.

The Irishman was also drinking beer while at the wheel of his Volkswagen Golf GTI. Maidstone Crown Court heard his "appalling" criminal record includes four convictions for drink driving, three for careless driving and one for dangerous driving.

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At the time of the accident he was disqualified for life from driving in Ireland.

Taking the exceptional course of imposing a similar lifetime ban in the UK, Judge Jeremy Carey said the required jail term went beyond the upper limit of seven years recommended by government guidelines for what are termed "higher culpability cases".

"He was plainly driving at a wholly reckless and dangerous speed and at a time when he was sipping beer from a cup," the judge commented.

"The highly unattractive features of the case are that at the scene he sought to put the blame on anyone but himself, suggesting another vehicle had hit him.

"He has also made a wholly scurrilous allegation that it was Mr Gregory who was the one driving dangerously... and he has a truly appalling record which the jury rightly heard about."

Speaking directly to O'Reilly, who was visibly and vocally upset at the verdict, Judge Carey added: "You need to come to terms with the fact that you did what this jury found you did, and the sooner you stop blaming others the quicker your rehabiliation will be."

O'Reilly, of Upper Churchtown Road, Dublin, had denied causing death by dangerous driving but was convicted by a jury. He cried out "I'm actually innocent. I didn't do anything" once the guilty verdict was announced.

He will serve four-and-a-half years of his sentence, less 171 days already spent on remand.