A CO Antrim man who admitted causing the death by dangerous driving of a nurse in a two-car crash was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing next week.
Neil McKee (26), of Castleburn Road, Carrickfergus, pleaded guilty to causing the death of nurse Heather Steele (53) and also having no insurance.
Belfast Crown Court heard McKee was driving his black Seat Leon car when it collided with Ms Steele's Suzuki Ignis car around 8pm on the main Carrickfergus to Belfast road at its junction with Castlerocklands Road on August 27, 2014.
A prosecution lawyer said the defendant was driving at a "grossly excessive speed'' on the 40mph road when he struck a car being being driven by the Royal Victoria Hospital cardiac nurse.
Emergency crews who arrived at the scene found Ms Steele (53) trapped in her vehicle while McKee's car had come to a halt on the Belfast-bound lane.
A number of witnesses who were travelling on the road gave statements to police including one from a motorist who said he saw McKee's black Seat Leon "pass him at speed''.
A second witness told police: "I can honestly say that the speed of this car shocked me. It was madness.''
A female driver said she heard a loud noise coming from the exhaust of the Seat Leon and said it was travelling at a speed "faster than a police car with sirens''.
Another witness described that the Leon car as "really flying.''
The prosecutor said that although the witness statements were "subjective'', he added that they gave the court an indication that McKee was travelling at a "grossly excessive speed''.
The court heard that a Victim Impact Report prepared for the hearing was a "painful reminder of the loss and suffering'' felt by Ms Steele's family and friends.
Neil Rafferty QC, defending, told the court: "These are by their very nature tragic cases. I just want to place on record that anything I say by way of mitigation on behalf of the defendant is not meant to cause offence or hurt on the Steele family who have suffered a great loss.
"I can also tell the court of the genuine remorse that the defendant has lived with from the moment of this accident.
"From the papers the defendant is described by some of the witnesses as 'screaming' and bereft in the aftermath that he had killed someone after this accident.''
Mr Rafferty QC said that fatal collision happened a week before McKee was due to sit a medical and pursue a career in the RAF.
"He struggles to live with the fact that he has caused the death of a fine woman by showing off his car which was his pride and joy.
"He struggles very deeply to come to terms with the hurt he has caused the Steele family."
Remanding McKee into custody, Judge Gordon Kerr QC said he wanted to consider a number of documents handed into court and would pass sentence next Tuesday May 24.
