A FAMILY has spoken out after a delivery driver who was speeding when he struck Elvis impersonator Eddie Cowperthwaite was given a 12-month driving ban and fined £800.

Mr Cowperthwaite's family said Minh Hoang "should have got banned for life".

Stratford magistrates heard how Hoang, 29, was driving his red Fiat Punto at 45mph on a 30mph road, went through an amber traffic light and was looking at a text message a friend was writing when he knocked Mr Cowperthwaite down shortly after midnight on April 20 last year.

Mr Cowperthwaite, 32, of Bushfields, Loughton, who had changed his name by deed poll to Elvis Aaron Presley, suffered severe head injuries and died at the Royal London Hospital despite a seven-and-a-half-hour operation.

Mr Cowperthwaite had just finished a performance at the Bancroft Arms pub, Mile End, when the accident happened as he was crossing Burdett Road.

Hoang admitted driving without due care and attention.

The court heard a witness describe the Punto going past him quickly while he was in his stationary car. He could not estimate the speed but thought it must have been above the speed limit.

The witness said he could not understand why the car was going so fast because the traffic lights were amber.

Prosecutor Malcolm Duxbury said: "The defendant tried to stop but the witness heard the wheels lock and the car continued across the crossing and the lights were now red against him. The road surface was dry, the weather was clear and visibility good in a well-lit area.

"The speed of the vehicle prior to braking was calculated to be a minimum of 45mph."

Hoang, who had three points on his licence for speeding, admitted during a police interview that he was not taking reasonable care and had looked over to a friend who was texting for about a second. He told officers he tried to avoid the pedestrian.

A verdict of accidential death was recorded at an inquest at Poplar Coroner's Court last December.

Mr V Krishna, representing Hoang, said his client accepted responsibility for the accident but told the court Hoang had suffered sleepless nights afterwards.

"The defence wish to offer their condolences to Mr Cowperthwaite's family.

It is understood this has been very distressing to them and he is extremely remorseful and apologetic."

Hoang was fined £800 and ordered to pay £50 towards prosecution costs. He earns only £113 a week but the judge said he could pay the fine by selling his car.

Mr Cowperthwaite's sister-in-law Margaret Cowperthwaite told the Guardian: "Someone died here. He should have got banned for life. Me and my husband feel he should have got done for a lot longer than he did.

"The £800 was nothing. He should have got the maximum fine.

"My husband was the one who had to go and identify him. That's not something we're ever going to forget."