Drink driver smashed head-on into care worker's car, court is told

Bricklayer Craig Stephen Miles tried to overtake a vehicle in treacherous conditions on Wakefield Road in Fitzwilliam, narrowly avoided a pedestrian island and ploughed into the oncoming car, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Benjamin Whittingham said that Miles is thought to have been travelling at about 50mph in a 30mph zone in a VW Scirocco when he attempted the manoeuvre at around 7.50pm on the evening of July 31, last year. It was raining heavily at the time.

The female driver, who had been returning home from work at Pinderfields Hospital, had no chance to avoid the oncoming car, and suffered a broken thumb, bruising to her chest and pain to her back.

Miles left the scene immediately without checking on the injured woman but returned a short time later.

He was breath tested by police and his lowest reading was 43 mcgs of alcohol in 100 mls of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs.

Miles, of Newstead Terrace, Fitzwilliam, admitted a charge of drink driving, dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

The court heard that he had a one previous conviction, which was for drink driving, dating back to 2008.

Mitigating, Mark Foley said Miles had been to the pub after work and said he had "three or four pints" of lager shandy, which he said would explain why the breath test reading was only just over the legal limit.

He claimed his car had aquaplaned while he was overtaking, but admitted conditions were bad.

He also said that he had been left dazed by the crash and had gone home, which is only around 100 yards from the scene of the crash.

Mr Foley added: "He reacted instantly and was in a degree of shock."

Judge Simon Batiste handed him a four-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, given 160 hours of unpaid work, told to pay £1,500 compensation to the victim and banned from driving for 30 months.