A dangerous driver – whose two friends died when he crashed his car – has lost an appeal bid to get his jail sentence reduced.

Ahmit Kumar Yadav, 20, of Woodford Avenue, Gants Hill, drove at between “46 and 54mph” in a 30mph limit in Lodge Avenue, Dagenham, on August 10 2013, Mrs Justice Nicola Davies told London’s Appeal Court.

He was behind the wheel of a Honda Civic with two passengers, Haider Kayani, 20, and his brother Taimur Kayani, 17, both from Windsor Road, Wanstead.

Yadav was speeding despite “slow” written in large letters on the road to highlight the need to drive carefully, said the judge.

He lost control of his car and veered into the path of a Renault Clio.

Haider Kayani was pronounced dead at the scene of the head-on crash, while his teenage brother died in hospital.

The driver of the Renault was also injured.

Yadav was left with multiple injuries and suffered “not only physically but psychologically”, said the judge.

He was convicted of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one of causing serious injury by dangerous injury.

Yadav was sentenced to six years detention in a young offenders’ institution and a six-year driving ban at Snaresbrook Crown Court in April this year.

But barrister David Josse QC argued his sentence was far too tough.

Mrs Justice Davies described the case as a “tragedy, not only for those that lost their lives” but also for Yadav, but dismissed the appeal.