text: Amit Yadav, 20, was high on cannabis when he crashed into an oncoming Renault Cleo . A young driver who was high on cannabis when he crashed into an oncoming car, killing his two friends, been jailed for six years. Amit Yadav, 20, was driving his red Honda Civic up to 25 miles over the speed limit when he lost control and smashed into an oncoming Renault Cleo in August 2013. His two passengers - brothers Haider, 20, and Taimur Kayani, 17, from Leytonstone, were killed in the collision on Lodge Avenue, Dagenham. Taimur, who had been sitting in the front passenger seat, was pronounced dead at the scene. His brother died later in hospital. The couple in the Cleo, Rayape and Rosette Sellathurai, also suffered serious injuries. Mrs Sellathurai required surgery to remove part of her damaged intestine, while she suffered further injuries to her bladder and abdomen. None of the passengers in the Civic were wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision, according to crash scene investigators. At the time of the incident, Yadav gave a statement saying he had swerved to avoid an oncoming car, but claimed at his trial that he had no memory of the crash. THC acid in his blood indicated Yadav had been smoking cannabis only a few hours before the crash, and cannabis was found in his glove compartment. Forensic scientist Elizabeth Davidson said: ‘Cannabis is generally less impairing than alcohol and other drugs, but studies have shown that it can impair cognition and impair driving performance.’ She added: ‘The impairment due to cannabis my out last the experience of the high of taking cannabis and may last four or five hours after.’ Brothers Haider (left) and Taimur Kayani (right) from Leytonstone, east London, were killed in the collision . Yadav denied two charges of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, but was convicted in February this year after a four-day trial. Tom Nicholson, prosecuting, told Snaresbrook Crown Court that between the date of the accident and the date of conviction Yadav had racked up two further convictions for speeding. At the time of the accident, Yadav was subject to a nine-month suspended sentence for conspiracy to commit theft for stealing from customers at cash points in Manchester. David Josse, defending, said: ‘It is perhaps obvious that this defendant in no way intended and far less desired the outcome of this tragic incident. ‘My client was only 18 at the time of the offence, he is now 20 years old, he suffered serious injuries himself – he suffers from serious pelvic problems as well as scaring – he spent 10 days in hospital, he’s clearly remorseful and that is born out in his resulting psychological condition.’ The court heard Yadav has been undergoing therapy to help him deal with the accident. Mr Josse added: ‘He said he wanted to gain some understanding of how he could lose control of the vehicle – he recognises that most people wouldn’t accept that as a very good explanation, so at least he has some insight into his own answer so to speak.’ Taimur and Haider Kayani (pictured as children), who died in the crash, were described as 'inseparable' Sentencing, Judge Simon Wilkinson told Yadav: ‘You were driving a car that was involved in a head-on collision on a residential street, the reason for this collision was that you were driving far too fast. ‘You lost control, you careered into the opposite lane, the driver in the oncoming vehicle had no opportunity to take any evasive action and was completely blameless for the collision that followed. ‘The driver’s wife suffered life threatening injuries and both of your two passengers lost their lives, and the parents of those two brothers will realise that no sentence that I can pass can possibly reflect the worth of their two sons or lessen their heart ache.’ Following the accident, the Kayani brothers, were described as ‘inseparable’ and dedicated to their family by their father Qamar. Around 1,500 people attended the funeral, coming from as far away as South Africa and Pakistan. Their father wept throughout Judge Wilkinson’s sentencing remarks and was comforted by police officers. Yadav, of Woodford Avenue, Ilford, was expressionless as his sentence was read out.
target: Amit Yadav was driving his red Honda Civic up to 25 miles over speed limit .
  Yadav lost control of his car and smashed into an oncoming Renault Cleo .
  Two passengers - brothers Haider, 20, and Taimur Kayani, 17 - were killed .
  Yadav was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving in February .