THE father of a teenage girl killed by a dangerous driver has been jailed 18 months after her death – for dangerous driving in the same area where she lost her life.

In January this year Zahoor Hussain was jailed for 32 months after admitting causing 17-year-old Zoe Smith's death in September 2010 through his dangerous driving.

On Tuesday Miss Smith's father David Smith, 44, was jailed for 12 months after leading the police on a 10-minute chase.

He ended the chase by driving his vehicle on to the pavement outside the cemetery on Blackswarth Road, St George, where Hussain crashed, killing his back seat passenger Miss Smith.

Officers swooped on the vehicle, smashing the driver's side window and removing the keys from Smith's ignition.

Miss Smith's mum Karen Pope told the Evening Post after the hearing that Smith, from whom she separated some years ago, had come to his senses after seeing the crash spot.

She said: "He told me that after seeing the crash scene where Zoe died he stopped because it brought him to his senses.

"I was so angry with him. I told him he should not have done it in the first place. It has been a really tough time for the family and this has done nothing to help. I cannot believe he could have been so insensitive."

At Bristol Crown Court, Smith, of Stapleton Road, Eastville, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving shortly after 11pm on October 29 last year.

He also admitted failing to provide a specimen for analysis, and having no insurance or licence.

The court heard he had a "woeful record" of driving-related offences including reckless driving, driving whilst disqualified and failing to provide a specimen.

Jailing him, Judge William Hart said: "This was a prolonged piece of dangerous driving late at night – clearly in my view under the influence of drink. I am quite satisfied that you did this because you were trying to evade capture. The fact that nobody was injured was a matter of luck not judgement.

"You have a dreadful driving record and the message simply has to go out that this sort of driving whilst intoxicated, particularly with a record like yours, is so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified."

The court heard from prosecutor Rachel Garstang that although the offence was late at night some streets were busy with people celebrating Halloween.

She said: "Two police officers were driving through Old Market when they saw the defendant in a red combo van turn into Lamb Street and the passenger door swing open."

He then accelerated away so they followed. Over the next 10 minutes Smith weaved left and right as he drove from Trinity Road to Blackswarth Road.

At points he mounted the pavement, narrowly avoided a wall and lamppost, went through a red light, and narrowly missed a parked car and pedestrians.

He exceeded the 30mph speed limit but not at more than 40mph.

After being apprehended Smith was "very uncooperative and was shouting and abusive towards police officers".

They could smell alcohol on his breath and could see he was unsteady on his feet.

"He refused to give a sample for alcohol and the following morning he did not remember the incident.

"He told police he had been to a football match and had one or two pints but had no recollection of seeing the police or his standard of driving."

David Martin, defending, conceded that Smith had a woeful record of driving offences.

"He should not have been anywhere near the vehicle in the state that he was in and very much regrets that he was," Mr Martin said.

"He apologises to the court for the potential danger he put people in by the way he was driving.

"He is particularly upset about it because he lost a daughter through somebody else's dangerous driving."

As well as being jailed, Smith was disqualified from driving for two years and must pass an extended test.

In January, Smith was at Bristol Crown Court to see his daughter's killer jailed.

Former Bristol Brunel Academy pupil Miss Smith died after banned driver Hussain was driving his dad's Mini Cooper at 50mph on a 30mph road and lost control.

While travelling along Blackswarth Road, Hussain clipped the kerb and crashed into a cemetery wall on the opposite side of the carriageway.

Miss Smith suffered fatal head injuries and her life support machine was switched off at 4.40am the next morning.

Hussain, 25, of Oaklands Drive in Almondsbury, had already racked up three previous convictions for driving while disqualified yet still got behind the wheel while serving a drink-drive ban on September 6, 2010.

After Hussain was sentenced, Smith said: "It doesn't matter how long he goes to jail for – it's not going to bring our Zoe back."