A student who killed a young man in a hit-and-run while driving at more than twice the speed limit was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison.

Ralph Fairhurst, 26, crashed into Kyle Middlemass, 20, on Easter Road in Leith, Edinburgh, in the early hours of June 19, 2022.

Mr Middlemass, who was raised by his grandparents and hoped to work in outdoor sports, died in hospital 10 days later.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Fairhurst received a penalty notice for speeding seven months ago.

Fairhurst had previously admitted causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop and was sentenced to four years and six months in prison in court on Thursday.

He was banned from driving for nine years.

Judge Lord Young said: “Kyle was 20 when he died. He was raised by his grandfather from the age of four.

“He was a young man just starting his adult life. He loved sports and the outdoors and hoped to pursue a career in outdoor sports. “No sentence captures the value of Kyle’s life.”

He said Fairhurst was “driving at a grossly excessive speed on a city center street in the early hours of the weekend when revelers such as Kyle were returning home after a night out.”

The judge said: “You were accelerating and did not apply the brakes. Your situation is this; You didn’t see it and you didn’t know you hit someone.

“You failed to stop, but it must have been obvious that you hit something. You received a penalty notice for speeding seven months ago. That didn’t stop you.”

A grieving relative shouted “rot in hell” as Fairhurst was taken to the cells.

The defense lawyer said neither Fairhurst nor the two passengers traveling in the Vauxhall Astra were aware that the car had hit a person.

The court was shown CCTV footage showing the Vauxhall traveling at an estimated 48mph on the road, which is lined with flats and has a 20mph speed limit.

The car appeared to have crashed but continued on and the court heard Fairhurst only realized the “contact” was serious when he saw the damage to the car.

Mark Stewart, defending, said: “He accepts responsibility and acknowledges the extent of wrongdoing. He understands the extreme consequences suffered by the family of the deceased. “He is very sorry and apologetic.”

Mr Stewart said Fairhurst was being given instructions by his passengers at the time of the accident.

He said: “When he thought he came into contact with something, he thought it was the road surface or an object.

“He never thought for a moment about being human, it wasn’t an issue that stopped him.

“When he saw the damage he realized this was a more serious incident.

“He didn’t think it was an individual until he faced reality and spoke to the police.”

Mr Stewart added: “This is not an excuse or an attempt to minimize responsibility.”