Luke McCormick had spent much of the night partying and was twice the drink drive limit when he smashed into a car carrying six people, killing brothers Ben and Arron Peak.

The former Plymouth goalkeeper was jailed for seven years and four months at Stoke Crown Court after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and drink driving.

The boys' parents Phil and Amanda Peak said outside court they were pleased he had "decided to face up to the fact" he had caused the deaths of their only children.

But the couple, who are unable to have more children, expressed disappointment at the fact he will be eligible for parole in three-and-a-half years.

The couple also said they found "offensive" comments in court about the effect the crash had on McCormick, who has seen a bereavement counsellor and suffers nightmares.

"He will restart his life when he is still a young man. Our sons will never experience the things Luke has had," they said.

Arron, 10, and Ben, eight, were travelling to Silverstone racetrack for a dream day out with their father and three friends when their Toyota Previa people carrier was hit by McCormick's powerful black Range Rover on the M6 in Staffordshire at 5.44am on June 7.

Police investigators estimated McCormick's Range Rover was travelling at around 97mph moments before the crash.

Mr Peak, 37, from Partington in Manchester, was at the wheel of the Toyota and suffered serious injuries. He is now in a wheelchair and wears a neckbrace and may have to undergo surgery. Police say he may never recover from his injuries.

McCormick, 25, was returning from former team-mate David Norris' wedding in Bolton, when the crash happened.

McCormick was seen with his footballer friends drinking beer and downing shots of the spirit Sambuca at the wedding reception.

His lawyer told the court that, during the course of the evening, he became upset when reminded of malicious comments about his fiancee Naomi Richardson's alleged infidelity on the social networking website Facebook.

Today Miss Richardson was by McCormick's side as he arrived at court to face a barrage of abuse from friends and relations of the Peak family.

John Jones QC, defending, said on the night of the wedding a number of phone calls were exchanged between the goalkeeper and his fiancee regarding the allegations.

He disappeared at around 2am and slept for around two hours before rising.

CCTV footage showed him leaving the Ramada Jarvis hotel at 4.32am. He ignored a telephone plea from his room-mate Paul Maxwell, a physiotherapist, to stop driving immediately and pull over at some services.

Mr Maxwell said McCormick was "emotional and kept repeating himself during the conversation", Prosecutor Robert Price said.

He added: "He kept saying he was going to get himself to Coventry."

The court heard that he passed at least three services on the M6 after receiving the call.

Mr Jones said McCormick covered 68 miles in one hour 12 minutes, and his petrol tank was virtually empty when the collision occurred.

The boys' mother, Amanda Peak, sobbed loudly as the court heard details of the crash.

Witnesses described seeing clothing emerging from the vehicle after it was hit.

McCormick, dressed in a dark suit, kept his head bowed and covered his face with his hand as it was revealed he told eyewitnesses at the scene: "I am so sorry, I'm sorry. I just fell asleep. I fell asleep, I'm sorry."

Prior to the collision, other motorists noticed McCormick "driving like an idiot" and estimated his speed at around 90mph.

McCormick was arrested after a positive roadside alcohol breath test and told a police officer: "I'm going to jail."

In a victim statement submitted to the judge, Mr and Mrs Peak, told how their lives had been "totally devastated" by the deaths of their football mad children, who were avid Manchester United supporters.

The couple said: "Our whole lives have been shattered ... all our hopes and dreams for the future have been taken away from us."

Relatives of the dead brothers punched the air and shouted "yes" when Judge Paul Glenn imposed his sentence. The maximum penalty is 14 years. The boys' parents cried silently.

McCormick was also disqualified from driving for four years for causing death by dangerous driving.

Judge Glenn imposed no separate penalty for drink driving but imposed a two-year driving ban, to run concurrently.

He told McCormick: "You prioritised your own perceived needs, including, it seems, sorting out your love life over the safety of other road users.

"There was no good reason why you couldn't have stayed in that hotel for a few more hours to get the rest you needed ... you chose not to do that."

Judge Glenn said McCormick drove at inappropriate speeds, sometimes reaching in excess of 100mph.

He said he had rejected advice not to drive and displayed "seriously culpable behaviour" by driving when he knew he needed to rest.

The judge acknowledged his behaviour was "out of character".

A leading UK expert in sleep deprivation and its effects on motorists concluded that McCormick was "at best semi-conscious" at the time of the crash, Staffordshire Police said.

Speaking outside court, Sgt Steve Robinson said: "Luke was clearly driving excessively. He was driving dangerously and he was tired.

"He was also under the influence of alcohol. All these factors made Luke's driving quite horrendous."

He said the crash would continue to "cast a shadow" over the lives of Mr and Mrs Peak, who he said were unable to have more children.

The former England youth international once had a potentially "glittering future", his lawyer said.

His contract with Argyle was cancelled by "mutual consent" a month after the crash.