A drunk driver who killed a father and son was masturbating at the wheel moments before the fatal crash, a court heard today.

Imran Hussain's powerful Audi Q7 was like a "speeding bullet" moments before it ploughed into the back of a Fiat Punto carrying Gary Proctor, 47, his wife Catherine, 44, and their 16-year-old son James.

Mr Proctor and James died in the collision on the M62 motorway near Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on August 3 last year.

Hussain, 32, of Como Avenue, Bradford, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of driving with excess alcohol.

Manchester Crown Court heard that Hussain's penis was partially exposed when motorists came to his aid after the crash.

Judge Andrew Blake told him: "At the least it must have been a symptom you were not giving your full attention to driving."

He sentenced him to eight years for each of the two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, to be served concurrently, and banned him from driving for 15 years.

He made no separate penalty for driving with excess alcohol.

Prosecutor Andrew Nuttall said Hussain, a car dealer and father-of-four, was twice over the legal limit.

Seven hours before the crash, Hussain had rowed with his wife and left the family home to meet friends in Bradford, the court heard.

Mr Nuttall said the group drove around, swigging from a bottle of Southern Comfort, before going to a lap-dancing club in Leeds, where they continued to drink.

Hussain left his friends and climbed into his car, "substantial in size and power", according to the prosecutor.

He stopped at a service station in Leeds just after 5am and was described by the cashier as "staggering and clearly drunk".

Hussain ripped open a bag of crisps and began eating them and also took a soft drink, before swearing at the cashier, who asked him not to swear and to hand the crisps over.

He replied: "I'll find out where you live and will kill you." He repeated the threat several times before leaving.

The cashier took down his registration number and contacted police.

Hussain's erratic driving, at speeds of up to 120mph over a 10-mile stretch, was reported to police by three groups of concerned motorists just minutes before the crash.

One motorist saw Hussain stop on the hard shoulder and throw a bottle over his car before setting off again.

Another motorist, Christian Downard, told police: "He is going all over the road and is going to kill someone."

Mr Nuttall said that, moments before the crash, the Audi Q7 was seen lane-hopping, before veering sharply across to the nearside lane and smashing into the back of the Fiat Punto.

He said: "A cloud of debris burst into the air and the Q7 car spun off to the left, through the barrier, smashing 15 yards of metal structure before smashing into a street lamp and coming to rest behind the barrier."

Several motorists stopped to help both the victims and the defendant.

Mr Downard and his two friends went to the aid of the defendant, and saw that his semi-erect penis was out of his trousers.

He attempted to run away and hurled abuse at them, including making threats to kill them.

A passing nurse and a doctor came to the aid of the Proctors, who were travelling from their home in Wakefield to Manchester Airport to fly out to Florida for a holiday.

Mrs Proctor, who was in the front seat, suffered six broken ribs. Her husband and son were trapped in the wreckage of the car for 40 minutes and had to be cut free. Both suffered heart attacks and died at the scene.

Hussain was uninjured in the collision.

Police examined his mobile phone and discovered that he had called directory inquiries to request the number of an escort agency around 30 minutes before the crash.

Mr Nuttall said he called the agency - which provides female escorts on an hourly basis - but it was closed.

He said: "His attempts to contact the agency and the finding of him with an erect penis out of his trousers indicates that he was sexually excited and clearly handling his penis whilst he was driving and at the time of the collision."

Mr Nuttall read excerpts from Mrs Proctor's victim impact statement to the court which spelt out her determination to carry on for the sake of her husband and son.

He said: "I know my future will be different to that which I was expecting before August 3. I'm determined this will not be the end of my world and I will fight it, mainly because James and Gary will expect me to.

"I didn't die in the collision for a reason and I'll be damned if the guy in the collision will drag me down as well."

Mrs Proctor was in court for the verdict. Mr Nuttall said she has required plastic surgery to her face because of the scars she received.

Judge Blake said: "Nothing that anyone can say or do can alleviate the suffering Mrs Proctor has borne and will bear in the future."

Mrs Proctor said, in a statement released after the verdict: "Me and my family were going on a long-awaited trip to New York and Florida when this happened.

"No words or sentence will ever describe the devastation that we feel. No-one should ever go through the nightmare I have suffered over the last four months.

"James was my only child and loved life. He was a kind, thoughtful young man and loved and lived life to the full.

"He was just due to start an exciting chapter in his life after finishing his GCSEs. Sadly he will never experience any of that now.

"Gary was a quiet, lovely man who I have spent my whole adult life with. We had been married for 24 years.

"My whole life has been shattered. My hopes and dreams for the future have been taken away from me and the rest of my family. We will never recover from this."

Sergeant Phil Robinson, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "This man has taken Catherine Proctor's entire family away from her in one fell swoop.

"Hussain appeared to be on a mission to act as recklessly as possible that night, clearly holding absolutely no regard for anyone else's safety.

"Not only had he got behind the wheel of his car when drunk, but he had driven so dangerously it is actually a wonder that he did not ruin anyone else's life that day."

Mr Nuttall said outside the court that he would consider appealing over the sentence.

Belfast Telegraph