A teenager who caused the death of a nurse as he tried to evade police during a car chase has been handed a six-year sentence.

Dylan Jenkin, 18, was trying to avoid arrest when he lost control of the Ford Ka he had bought for £40 on Gumtree and hit mother-of-one Jill Pirrie, 33, on Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh, on May 12.

He fled the scene and did not hand himself in until the following day.

Ms Pirrie's family criticised the term handed to Jenkin, describing it as a "sick joke".

The High Court in Edinburgh heard last month that Ms Pirrie was walking home after finishing her shift at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary when the vehicle collided with her.

Jenkin, who only held a provisional driving licence, had earlier failed to pull over for police officers who were trying to stop him for driving without having any insurance for the car.

Lord McEwan told Jenkin: "On May 12 you and one of your friends bought a car for £40 on the Gumtree internet site. The vehicle was uninsured and registered as off the road.

"The state of the car and the manner of driving attracted the attention of the police who pursued you in a marked police car, signalling you to stop.

"You did not stop, but evaded the police and drove off at a high and excessive speed. This was seen by several witnesses and for a brief time the police lost sight of your car.

"An unmitigated tragedy was about to unfold. Jill Pirrie never got home and now her family and colleagues will never see her alive again."

Jenkin previously pleaded guilty 11 to causing Ms Pirrie's death by dangerous driving as well as a number of other road traffic offences.

When he returned to court on Monday for sentencing, Judge Lord McEwan handed down a six-year term and banned him from driving for seven years. The teenager is being detained at Polmont Young Offenders Institute.

After the sentencing, Ms Pirrie's family released a statement. It said: "Six years for taking a young life is not my idea of justice, it's a sick joke. As far as I'm concerned that is an insult to Jill's family, friends and colleagues.

"Jill dedicated her career to care for others, it's a disgrace that our legal system didn't care for her."

The court previously heard the victim was struck from behind and was thrown against a wall, causing her to suffer fractured ribs and severe chest and head injuries. She was taken to the royal infirmary where staff battled in vain to save their colleague's life.

Jenkin ran off from the scene and did not give himself up for another day. He later turned up to the hospital for treatment and confessed he was responsible for taking Ms Pirrie's life.

Prosecution lawyer Alex Prentice QC said: "On the morning of Saturday, May 14, while the accused was being treated, he was asked if he knew why the police were present.

"He indicated that it was because of the crash and admitted involvement. He broke down, started crying and repeatedly said 'I didn't mean to kill her'.

"He acknowledged that the police had been behind him when he was driving the car. He maintained that the brakes had failed. He started crying again and continually said he was sorry."

Jenkin and a friend had bought the car for £40 from a man who advertised it internet sales site Gumtree. During the afternoon of May 12, Jenkin drove the car around Edinburgh with a number of passengers.

Around 7.45pm that night, two police officers saw Jenkin driving the car on Milton Road. Mr Prentice said the Ka was "in a state of disrepair" and officers checked the Police National Computer because they were suspicious about the vehicle.

After discovering that the vehicle was not insured and the DVLA had been notified that it was off road, they asked for assistance. A BMW traffic police car responded and requested Jenkin to stop the car on the A7 road close to a park and ride facility.

Mr Prentice told the court: "The accused failed to stop the vehicle and accelerated away from the police. They police officers informed the control room that the vehicle had failed to stop and was now being pursued."

Jenkin continued to career down the A7 at a "grossly excessive speed" towards Danderhall at the junction with Newton Church Road.

Several witnesses noticed the car speeding down Old Dalkeith Road and overtaking other vehicles. A dog walker had to "take evasive action" by running back to the pavement when she saw the Ka travelling towards her.

Jenkin lost control when he was trying to turn left into Kingston Avenue and skidded across the junction, hitting Ms Pirrie from behind and throwing her against the wall.

Pedestrians ran to her aid while they waited paramedics to arrive, while Jenkin and a passenger fled the scene.

The next day he turned up at the hospital with his solicitor and while being treated for a cracked rib and bruising, he confessed that he had been driving the car.

Defence advocate Brian McConnachie QC said as his client did not stop for the police meant Ms Pirrie lost her life.

He said "Mr Jenkin will have to live with the fact for the rest of his life that he is responsible for that."