Kira and Diane will 'be missed forever' after fatal crash with disgraced ex-policeman

Diane McGrail, 54, and 14-year-old Kira were being driven from their home at Oakley, near Market Drayton, to Birmingham to get the schoolgirl's iPhone fixed and do some shopping when tragedy struck on July 6 last year.

The grey Seat Ibiza in which they were travelling, with Mrs McGrail's 17-year-old son Jack at the wheel, was hit head-on by Dahiya's three-litre BMW 530SE which was trying to overtake on the blind brow of a hill on the A5 between Gailey and Weston-under-Lizard.

The impact on the stretch of single carriageway with a 60 mph speed limit sent the Seat careering into an Audi which hit the side of the car in which both Mrs McGrail and her daughter were sitting. Both died at the scene and Jack – blameless for the crash – was seriously injured.

Dahiya, 46, from Wallett Drive, Telford – who had only got the BMW three days earlier – pleaded guilty to two cases of causing death by dangerous driving and one of causing serious injury when he appeared at Stafford Crown Court on Wednesday and was jailed for six years eight months.

The Pc was suspended from West Mercia Police at the time of the accident but was later sacked for gross misconduct after lying over an unrelated matter.

Rebecca Hearsey, a specialist serious and fatal injuries expert at Irwin Mitchell who represented the family, said on their behalf today: "This sentence sent out a message that driving dangerously will not be tolerated.

"The family has been left devastated by Kira and Diane's deaths. They will always love Diane and Kira and they will be missed forever.

"It is vital that all drivers take note of the consequences of driving dangerously and ensure that they take responsibility for their actions on the road."

Mr McGrail fought back tears while telling the court of his heartbreak at the loss of his beloved wife – whom he had first met 39 years ago – and daughter.

He confessed: "I cry every day. I try to come to terms with our loss but I cannot accept that the love of my life and my gorgeous daughter are gone."

Mr McGrail also spoke of the difficulties faced by him and his son in the aftermath of the disaster. He declared: "The lives of Jack and myself are so empty without them. My life and that of Jack have also been destroyed."

Jack is now preparing to sit three A-levels in economics, maths and chemistry, spent 10 days in hospital after the smash in which he suffered multiple injuries.

He said: "Dad and I muddle through, but nothing will ever be like it again. We just go through the motions, ticking boxes.

"I find it very hard to find any meaning in what I do. It is brutal to be dealing with what happened."