A NORTH-EAST driving instructor raced a high-powered car at more than 100mph before an accident that killed a man, a court heard yesterday.

Michael Lopez, 28, who trains driving instructors, was at the wheel of an Audi S2 Quattro that overtook a Lexus IS200, approaching a bend at 109mph on a 70mph dual carriageway, the court was told.

The Audi clipped the black Lexus and sent it into a tree on the central reservation.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the impact killed back-seat passenger Leslie Clark.

Fifty-four year old Mr Clark was returning with friends from playing five-a-side soccer when the accident happened. Three others were seriously injured.

Mr Lopez lost control of his car, which left the road and ended up 90 metres from the wreckage of the Lexus.

But he walked uninjured back to the scene, where the Lexus driver's seat was on the other side of the carriageway.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said: "The effect of the touching of the cars at such a ludicrous speed was devastating.

"The defendant said in a police interview that he was overtaking the Lexus, which pulled out. A collision ensued and he lost control of his car.

"He disputes the witnesses' account of the speed. Experts said that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the cars, no mechanical defects and the weather was fine and the road was dry."

Mr Dodds added: "The Crown instructed an experienced accident investigator to examine the cause of the collision. His calculations put the Lexus travelling at about 109mph at the start of the tyre marks on the road in a 70mph zone, and they are moving into a bend.

"The prosecution will call some witnesses who were in other cars.

"Both of these high-performance vehicles had been travelling at excessive speed, way in excess of the 70mph limit.

"Some of the witnesses formed the view that the drivers were racing one another - each trying to get in front of the other."

Mr Lopez, of Sycamore Road, Fishburn, County Durham, denies causing the death by dangerous driving of Mr Clark, of Trimdon Avenue, Acklam, Middlesbrough.

The accident happened on the A177 Stockton Road at Sedgefield on June 21 last year.

The other driver, David Matthews, 35, of Middle Lane, Wolviston, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving yesterday and he was bailed for pre-sentence and medical reports.

The case against Mr Lopez continues.