Lawyers for Mark Ellis (21) urged the Court of Appeal to cut the sentence imposed on him for two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Ellis, formerly of Josephine Avenue, Limavady, was still a restricted driver when the fatal crash happened in Co Derry in August 2006.

He lost control of a Peugeot 206 on the Cam Road near Macosquin and ploughed into a Ford Ka.

Margaret Chivers (85), who was in the other vehicle, died on the same day as the smash.

Ellis's friend Adam Montague, who had been in the Peugeot with him, died 10 days later.

During his trial last year, the jury heard that the Ellis lost control going into a bend at around 60mph, despite only being permitted to drive at a maximum 45mph.

He claimed something was wrong with the road and that it may have been greasy.

Following his conviction he was ordered to serve five-and-half-years followed by 18 months probation. A £1,000 fine for driving without insurance was also imposed.

Challenging the length of imprisonment, his counsel, Eilis McDermott QC, argued that he should not have been put right at the top of the higher culpability category for sentencing.

Tragic

She told the Court of Appeal: "This was an accident of appallingly tragic circumstances which arose out of bad driving. For that reason, we say that the learned trial judge should have been looking in the area of a borderline between intermediate and higher culpability."

Ellis's age at the time of the crash, his shock, remorse and psychological suffering were also advanced as mitigating factors.

However, Lord Justice Higgins, who chaired a three judge panel, ruled that the appeal should be dismissed.

He said: "We do not consider that the learned trial judge either erred in principle or imposed a sentence which was manifestly excessive in determining first of all the case fell within the higher culpability range or in determining the appropriate sentence within that range."