A delivery driver killed a mother after falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into her car on the hard shoulder.

Stephen Clarke previously pled guilty to causing the death of Farzana Kousar by dangerous driving on the A74.

The 60-year-old courier was jailed for two years on Monday at the High Court in Edinburgh.

His van was seen swerving from lane to lane before it collided with the Toyota Ms Kousar was a passenger in near Eaglesfield in Dumfries and Galloway.

The court heard the 39-year-old victim had four children including a two-year-old at the time of the fatal smash on December 22, 2014.

Clarke, a driver for UK Express Logistics, left the Parcelforce depot in Coventry at around 1.20am to drive to Glasgow, having finished work the previous day at around 2pm.

Lord Boyd of Duncansby told Clarke: "You had had four or five hours' sleep before going back into the depot.

"It is clear that the amount of sleep you had was inadequate.

"I have been told that there was a very similar incident involving another driver from the same company on the same stretch of road only one month before."

He added: "It is also clear that you were expected to work long hours for little pay. I understand that drivers would be fined £50 if they turned work down.

"It is very concerning to learn of the pressures that appear to be placed on self-employed delivery drivers such as you.

"It may be that there is a more general issue to be addressed to ensure that road safety is not compromised by drivers who may feel that they are put under pressure by their employers to work beyond safe limits.

"To your credit you have not sought to rely on any pressure from your employer. You take full responsibility for what happened."

The judge also banned Clarke, from the West Midlands, from the road for four years.

Lord Boyd noted the accused had shown "considerable remorse" and had personally apologised to Ms Kousar's family.

After the sentencing, relatives of the victim from Glasgow called on the Crown Office to appeal for the prison term to be extended.

In a statement given to the press following the hearing, they spoke of their anger at the "lenient decision".

The Kousar family said: "We don't feel justice has been done here. We are angry and very frustrated by Lord Boyd's decision. We would like the Crown to appeal this decision.

"We feel that it gives people permission to fall asleep at the wheel of their vehicles - it sends the message that they won't be properly punished for not taking care on the roads.

"Mr Clarke will be out of jail soon enough. He'll be able to go back to his family and enjoy their company. We will spend the rest of our lives grieving for the loss of our loved one."