A TEENAGE girl involved in a motorway race resulting in a crash that left a man brain damaged has been sent to youth custody for a year.

Laura Brown, 19, swerved from lane to lane, deliberately trying to block Scott Pyrah, another driver she was racing against.

Mr Pyrah crashed after Brown braked suddenly and he tried to swerve out of the way. The impact flung him from his car causing injuries from which he is unlikely to recover.

Brown of Milton Road, Audenshaw sobbed as the judge told her: "Any right-minded member of the public would be shocked and possibly appalled to think that someone who can cause damage that you have would not immediately lose their liberty."

Appearing at Preston Crown Court, Brown admitted a charge of dangerous driving on Good Friday last year.

Mr Pyrah, who had been travelling from Bradford along the M55 at Wesham, near Blackpool suffered asevere brain injury and permanent paralysis of the legs. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time. Both he and the defendant had been travelling towards the resort in separate convoys that afternoon in April.

Mr Robert Smith, prosecuting, said a passenger in Brown’s car exchanged obscene gestures with someone in the other vehicle. It seemed an object was thrown from Brown’s car.

A race developed as Brown accelerated, swerving in and out of traffic in her attempts to stop the other driver from getting past. The speed was put by witnesses at 85-100mph.

After the crash Mr Pyrah was found 100 yards from his car, having apparently been thrown through the sun roof.

Mr Jon Close, defending, suggested no one involved in the incident could be absolved from blame.

He said: "She behaved in a thoughtless and irresponsible manner. Mr Pyrah will live in a prison for the rest of his life. She never thought of the consequences at the time. She has done little else since, but think of the consequences.

Judge Stuart Baker said: "This was deliberate, persistent and prolonged bad driving. My Pyrah suffered catastrophic injury from which he will probably never recover. A life has been totally wasted."

Brown was banned from driving for three years and will have to take an extended retest before getting back on the road.