A HOSPITAL consultant who killed two university students and badly injured their friend in a car crash was jailed for five years yesterday.

James Neil, a 37-year-old anaesthetist, who overtook a line of cars at around 90mph before crashing head-on into the teenagers' car, was also banned from driving for six years.

Peter Gray, QC, defending, pleaded with the judge not to send Neil to prison, but to order him to carry out community service instead.

However, Lord Abernethy told Neil he had no alternative to sending him to jail and said that he had caused the deaths of ''two innocent young men'' and distress to their loved ones.

The judge also said he recognised Neil's remorse and the consequences to his future.

Neil was described by Mr Gray at the High Court in Glasgow as a ''cautious, conscientious and caring'' doctor who has been haunted by the death crash.

He was unable to sleep after returning from an intensive exercise as a Territorial Army major with the Army in Oman and was driving to St Andrews from Dumfries to see his parents when he crashed into the teenagers' car in Fife.

Mr Gray said that Neil had not been drinking or taking drugs when he made a ''tragic error'' in his driving.

He said Neil, who is unmarried, was one of only five TA consultant anaesthetists who could be sent anywhere in the world at short notice and was being called up for the possible war in the Gulf.

Mr Gray said that, after being unable to sleep, Neil feared he was having a mental breakdown and decided to drive to St Andrews where his parents live.

He said: ''He had an uncharacteristic lapse of concentration and committed the error of judgment on a road that he knew well. It was a piece of bad driving.''

Mr Gray said that Neil would probably be struck off by the GMC if he was jailed.

Fraser Gillies and Keith Corbett, both 18, of Sutherland, died in the crash. They were only sons and had just begun university courses.

Their friend, Neil Logie, 18, who was driving a Honda Civic hit by Neil's Mercedes Kompressor sports car, survived, but suffered fractures to both legs, his pelvis and jaw.

Neil admitted at a previous court hearing a charge of dangerous driving on the A91 Gateside to Auchtermuchty road in Fife on October 7, 2001, resulting in the deaths of the boys and injuring Mr Logie.

Stuart Gillies, 50, father of one of the dead boys and head teacher at Helemsdale Primary School, who was in court, said later: ''This doctor played God and committed an atrocious act of terror which caused the deaths of these innocent teenagers.

''Neil's parents may feel they have lost their son now he has been sent to jail, but it is only temporary. I will never see my son again. Any good Neil has done in the past has been washed away by his actions on October 7, 2001, when he killed the boys.

''I would not be appropriate for him to be allowed to work in a caring profession again.''

Mr Gillies also believes Cathy, 50, his late wife and a special needs teacher, died of a broken heart following the death of their only child in the crash.

He said: ''There is no doubt that Fraser's death hastened Cathy's death. She suffered from a faulty heart valve for years, but she got worse after Fraser was killed.''

Earlier, the court heard how Neil overtook a line of traffic on the wrong side of the road before smashing into the teenagers' car.

Other drivers were ''amazed and horrified'' as Neil drove his powerful car past them seconds before the smash.

At the High Court in Edinburgh in November, Neil, a consultant anaesthetist at Dumfries Royal Infirmary, admitted driving dangerously.