A DRUNK driver who caused the death of his teenage nephew in an early-morning road crash was jailed for seven years yesterday.

A DRUNK driver who caused the death of his teenage nephew in an early-morning road crash was jailed for seven years yesterday.

John Ball lost control of his Renault Clio Sport at more than 71mph on a country road.

The car ploughed through a fence - killing Shaun Eaton instantly when the vehicle hit a post - before it cart-wheeled into a field beside the B999 road, near Aberdeen.

Mr Eaton, 18, of Mastrick, Aberdeen, suffered a catastrophic head injury. Witnesses told police that Ball, 36, had been "driving like an idiot".

He had returned to Scotland only the day before after working in Azerbaijan as a supervisor in the gas industry, and had been drinking with friends.

He stayed up till 4am at the family's home in Pitmedden, Aberdeenshire and then got up to give Mr Eaton, an Aberdeen College computing student, a lift to work in the city.

Mr Eaton was said to have "adored" Ball and had stayed the night in Pitmeddem rather than return to his mother's home in Mastrick just to see his uncle.

The High Court in Dunfermline heard that after the crash in July, 2007, Ball fled to Thailand, returning only for his court dates.

David Griffiths, prosecuting, said: "The car struck the nearside verge, crossed the single carriageway, hit a fencepost and cart-wheeled into a field. Mr Eaton was killed instantly."

Five hours after the accident, Ball had a blood alcohol level of 141 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80 milligrammes.

Mr Griffiths said: "At the time he was driving, he would have been no less than double the limit. A driver who was overtaken by Ball described him as an idiot'." Another witness said Ball's driving was "ridiculous".

Ball, of 71 Keithleigh Gardens, Pitmedden, had pled guilty at an earlier hearing to causing death by driving dangerously while unfit through alcohol. The court heard he had a history of drink-driving - having been banned for the offence in 2001.

Defence advocate Tim Niven-Smith said: "He accepts that excessive speed was a major issue in this accident and that alcohol was involved. He understands no punishment can atone for his actions or bring back his nephew.

"He has instructed me to unreservedly apologise to his sister - the mother of the deceased - and his extended family for his actions. He recognises this will provide little or no comfort. If he could turn back time, he would. He is contrite, and this offence will live with him for the rest of his life."

Passing sentence, Lord Emslie said: "Nothing the court can do can atone for the death of a young man on the brink of his adult life. You were speeding over a considerable distance on a minor road which you knew to have bad bends.

"To make matters worse, you were twice the drink-drive limit."

In addition to the jail term, Ball was disqualified from driving for 10 years.