A DRUG-FUELLED driver who killed a young motorcycle display team instructor in a crash near the Olympic Park has been jailed for seven years.

Former bus driver Gerald Cotter, 49, had taken cocaine and was doing almost double the speed limit when he caused the collision that killed Kieron Fevrier, from Basildon.

Witnesses said Cotter overtook a number of cars in a "crazy way" in Orient Way before the crash on the evening of November 30 last year.

He was travelling in his Vauxhall Meriva at more than 50mph in the 30mph zone, forcing other motorists to swerve and brake suddenly as he overtook on the opposite side of the road.

The 23-year-old motorcyclist suffered head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene in Leighton, east London.

Afterwards, Cotter told police it was not his fault and he was not to blame for the crash, the Old Bailey heard.

Officers found a knife and three stolen passports when they searched Cotter's car and he has a number of previous convictions for drug and driving offences.

Cotter, of Prout Way, Hackney, previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and with no insurance.

The victim's mother, Nicki Fevrier, paid a heartfelt tribute to her son during Cotter's two-day sentencing hearing.

"Kieron was a beautiful soul - a kind, generous and funny young man who was loved by everyone he knew.

"The night we realised our beautiful Kieron was killed will be etched in our minds forever.

"It was like someone ripped out our hearts slowly."

Mitigating, James Hasslacher said his client bore no malice or ill-will towards his victim and had expressed his remorse.

The court heard that the defendant was a father and had worked as a bus driver for 10 years before he stopped due to ill-health.

He bought the passports in the hope of making a "small profit" on them, the lawyer said.

Judge Stephen Kramer QC sentenced Cotter to six years for causing death by dangerous driving plus a year to run concurrently for having no insurance at the time of the crash.

The judge also jailed him for a further year for handling stolen goods and a blade, to run consecutively to the driving offences, and disqualified him from driving for eight and a half years.

He told Cotter: "It is clear you have deprived a family of a much-loved family member. Nothing I can do today can turn the clock back."

The family of Mr Fevrier described him as an "intelligent, caring young man" whose life was just beginning.

They said in a statement: "We are serving a life sentence whilst the man responsible will be out before Kieron would have been 30.

"We miss Kieron everyday and don't know how we will get by without him, as he was such a big part of our lives.

"He should have been setting up home with his girlfriend Emma this year and planning for their future. Cotter has robbed two young people of a promising life together.

"We only hope Cotter sees our beautiful boy's face every time he closes his eyes. Kieron was a true blessing and a friend to everyone who knew him, he always saw the good in everyone. Something we will treasure forever.

"The careless stupid actions of one man, who at 49 should have known better, have torn a family apart and robbed everyone of a truly wonderful human being.

"We will never forgive Cotter for his selfish actions on November, 30 2016."