JADE Clark's family say they are relieved that Brian Hampton lost his appeal almost exactly a year after he killed their girl.

The hit and run driver was jailed for six years in September last year after being convicted of perverting the course of justice following the crash which claimed the life of 16-year-old from Ringwood.

Just days after the anniversary of Jade's death her family said they were waiting on 'tenterhooks' to see if Hampton would be successful in overturning his sentence at the Court of Appeal.

Mum Sharon Clark said she felt relieved and said she has been watching the clock for days waiting to hear the result of the appeal.

She said: “We are relieved but if anything we wish he'd got longer than six years because the truth is he left Jade at the side of the road.”

Nan Linda Pidgley said: “At last the case has been thrown out and we just hope that this is the legal process done and dusted.

“But this isn't the outcome we wanted because we think he should have got much longer for what he did to Jade.”

Before his trial last year Hampton had admitted causing death by careless driving and driving whilst disqualified and uninsured, but denied and was found guilty by a jury of perverting the course of justice.

In his appeal yesterday, Hampton's barrister Piers Wauchope, argued before Mr Justice Sweeney, Lady Justice Sharp and Judge Stephen Kramer QC that his sentence was too tough.

But the three judges dismissed his appeal and said that he deserved every day of his sentence.

Justice Sweeney said: "In our view, the judge was entitled to take the view that significant aggravating features were present, namely the previous conviction for driving with excess alcohol, the fact of driving whilst disqualified and without insurance, and that he drove off knowing what had happened.

"It is clear that, whilst the repair of the car was achieved within a few days, the real purpose of the course of conduct undertaken was to endeavour to ensure that the police were unable to trace, arrest and prosecute him.

"It was set against lie after lie after lie."

Hairdresser Jade, 16, was struck from behind by Hampton's Volvo XC90 as she travelled along the A31 near Ringwood on the evening of February 24.

Her red scooter was hooked into the front grille of the car before being propelled 11-22 meters along the road.

The heartless father-of-two Hampton briefly stopped at the scene before driving off, leaving Jade exposed to the fast moving traffic.