THE family of a teenager killed by her own boyfriend as he raced another car at speeds of up to 120mph have pleaded for young drivers to slow down.

THE family of a teenager killed by her own boyfriend as he raced another car at speeds of up to 120mph have pleaded for young drivers to slow down.

Stacey Cutts' sweetheart Tom Wright, of Bury Road, Wortham, near Diss, and Jake Riseborough, of St Mary's Close, Harleston, were each given three-and-a-half year jail sentences yesterday.

After the pair's sentencing following the A140 tragedy, Miss Cutts' family said: “Nobody else should die like this.”

Norwich Crown Court heard how Stacey, who had been out celebrating her 18th birthday, pleaded with Wright to slow down just moments before he lost control of his car on the A140 Ipswich Road.

Miss Cutts died when Wright's car spun out of control hitting fencing and trees next to the junction with Marlpit Lane, Tasburgh. Wright tried to rescue her from the wrecked car but she died almost immediately. After the accident, witnesses heard Wright say: “I've killed my beautiful Stacey.”

Her family spoke of the “pure hatred” they felt towards Wright, 23, and Riseborough, 19, after they were jailed for the fatal race in April last year. Both admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

Speaking outside court, parents Malcolm and Susan Cutts said: “If the sentences given out today some way got to help prevent the needless loss of life caused by the actions of young and inexperienced drivers and prevent the devastation it causes to many, many people that would be such a great legacy left by our beautiful daughter Stacey.” They described the sentences given to Wright and Riseborough as “nothing compared to the sentence we as a family now have to bear for the rest of our lives.

“Not once have either of these so-called men shown any remorse for their actions that night.”

Natalie Taylor, a passenger in Wright's car who was injured in the crash, said: “We (Stacey and I) both asked him to slow down. I could see the car was doing at least 100mph and we were scared, but he didn't listen.”

Judge Paul Downes said the case highlighted the potentially devastating consequences of “macho driving”.