A drink and drug driver left his friend in intensive care after getting behind the wheel after five hours in the pub.
Grant Bourn drove a friend's BMW in an "almost suicidal" way while over the limit for cocaine and alcohol. His back seat passenger had told him to slow down before he lost control and slammed into a tree, leaving the other man badly injured.
Newcastle Crown Court heard Bourn had admired another pal's car when they started chatting in The Lake pub in South Shields, on December 27 2021 and was given the chance to "have a go" in it. CCTV from the pub showed Bourn had been "consuming numerous drinks over a five hour period" before he got into the car.
Read more: Northumberland retired music teacher, 80, jailed for sexual activity with underage girl
The BMW owner sat in the front seat and the other pal got in the back of the vehicle, which Bourn then drove at up to 72mph. Prosecutor Neil Pallister told the court the back seat passenger had warned Bourn "slow down you clown", before he smashed the car into a tree on Prince Edward Road.
A witness who saw the smash told police: "The way the BMW was being driven was beyond stupid, almost suicidal."
Mr Pallister said the back seat passenger suffered a collapsed lung and fractured ribs in the smash. He was fitted with a chest drain and taken to intensive care at the Royal Victoria Infirmary.
The man said in a statement he spent a total of nine days in hospital, was left in constant pain and suffered memory loss. He said he lost confidence in driving or being a passenger in a car.
Bourn had 130 milligrammes of alcohol in his blood and the legal limit is 80. He was also over the limit for cocaine.
Bourn, 39, of Palm Avenue, South Shields, who was banned from driving for 18 months in 2018 for failing to provide a specimen, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol and controlled drug, having no insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.
Judge Stephen Earl sentenced him to 20 months behind bars with a three year road ban. The judge said Bourn showed a "flagrant disregard for the rules of the road".
Vic Laffey, defending, said Bourn works as a bricklayer and had gone out on his own for a few drinks that day, when he caused the "disastrous situation". Mr Laffey added: "Quite what possessed him to have a go in the car, quite what possessed the owner to let him do that, neither really have any idea.
"He accepts complete responsibility for having done what he did. He deeply regrets the significant damage he caused." Mr Laffey said it was a short distance from the pub to the area of the crash.
Read next:
- Grandad joked of being 'done for baby snatching' during sex chat with 'child'
- Raging Gateshead thug left DJ with brain injury for kissing his former girlfriend's hand
- Byker drug dealer said she was selling cocaine in Newcastle city centre to buy new curtains
- Bedlington man set fire to girlfriend's clothes after falsely accusing her of being in porn video
- Gateshead murderer 'Billy the Bump' who went on to rape girl jailed for 27 years
