A MAN driving his girlfriend home from a night out lost control, “at grossly excessive speed”, before ploughing through a wall and coming to rest in trees.

Both Mark Anthony McCormack and passenger Sophie Hicken were initially trapped in the wreckage of the Seat Leon in undergrowth off the A694 near Shotley Bridge, County Durham, in darkness, in the early hours of May 30 last year.

McCormack managed to scramble out and use an extinguisher to dowse smoke emitting from the debris, before helping to free Miss Hicken.

Durham Crown Court heard that both were taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, Miss Hicken with serious multiple injuries.

She suffered fractures to her spine and ankle, both of which had to have metal plates inserted, as well as four broken ribs.

Sarah Mallett, prosecuting, said the 21-year-old trainee chef spent eight days in hospital and had to use crutches for some time, while being looked after at home by her parents.

She has also had to undergo counselling and receive medication for depression, and feared losing her job which she had only just begun shortly before the accident.

McCormack, 34, suffered minor injuries and gave a positive test, revealing 175mg of alcohol in 100mls or urine, compared to the legal limit of 107mls.

When interviewed he made no comment to most questions.

Miss Mallett said the couple had been out on their first date in Newcastle the previous evening, but on returning to his parked car, McCormack decided to drive home.

He swerved past a static police vehicle at speed, at a red light at roadworks on the A694 in Ebchester, at 2.50am, and it was further along the road, on the approach to Shotley Bridge, that the officer in the police vehicle found the trail of debris from the, by then, crashed Leon.

McCormack, of Denesyde, Medomsley, near Consett, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol.

Thomas Laffey, mitigating, said McCormack was “realistic” as to the outcome of the case.

He said that despite the incident, Miss Hicken and the defendant remain in a relationship.

“Thankfully, she has made a remarkable recovery, given the horrific injuries she suffered at the time.”

Judge Robert Adams said he was impressed by testimonials presented to the court on behalf of the defendant.

But, jailing him for two years, he said a custodial sentence could not be avoided, given the “grossly excessive speed” and the fact he was driving after drinking.

McCormack was also banned from driving for three years.