A Trowbridge man whose headlong 80mph race with another car caused the death of an innocent driver will be back on the road two years' earlier after an Appeal Court ruling yesterday.

Peter Edward Bowyer, 25, of Fleece Cottages, was jailed for six and a half years after he was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving in October last year at Salisbury Crown Court.

He was also disqualified from driving for seven years - but three top judges sitting at London's Criminal Appeal Court ruled that should be cut to five years today.

Bowyer was driving his Peugeot 306 along the A36 and the A350, between Westbury and Warminster, both in Wiltshire, in April 2007 when he began racing with 49-year-old Graham Hooper, from Wimbourne, Dorset.

"They were driving very close together and overtaking each other at speeds in excess of 80mph," Lord Justice Dyson said today.

At one point, they were almost bumper to bumper, the court heard, and continued for nearly five miles, until they were involved in a seven-vehicle collision.

Mr Hooper and 50-year-old motorist, Liam Corr, from Poole, Dorset, died at the scene and three others were injured.

Barrister, Ian Lawrie, told Lord Justice Dyson, sitting with Mr Justice Ouseley and Judge Michael Mettyear, that Bowyer's sentence and period of disqualification were too long and urged them to reconsider them both.

While the judges agreed that Bowyer's disqualification period should be cut, they dismissed his appeal against his jail term.

"In our judgement, this court should respect the assessment made by the sentencing judge in his remarks. This was a trial and the judge had the benefit of making his own assessment of the driving. It is one this court should not interfere with," said Lord Justice Dyson.

He added that Bowyer had two previous convictions; for criminal damage and for driving without due care and attention.

But, agreeing to cut the driving ban, the judge said: "He had a good driving record and, in all the circumstances, we think there is force in the submission that this period is too long."