A JUDGE has jailed a driver for causing a "scene of devastation" in a horror crash, which left his girlfriend fighting for her life with multiple injuries and himself in a coma with a fractured skull.

William Edward Bentham was driving a Ford Fiesta when it left the A691 Framwelgate Peth, approaching Durham city centre, at 9pm on October 15, 2015, Durham Crown Court was told.

Witnesses described their horror as the car, travelling at up to 70mph in a 40mph zone, crashed into a road sign.

Jailing him for 32 months, Judge Jamie Hill said: "I have seen photographs of the scene and the state of the vehicle and, even allowing for the fact that the fire brigade had to cut the roof off the vehicle to free you both from the wreckage, it was a scene of considerable devastation.

“It is a matter of luck they neither of you was killed and indeed no one else was affected.”

David Crook, prosecuting, said Bentham and his then girlfriend were having a meal and drinking vodka together at a pub when they had an argument and she said she wanted to go home.

The 23-year-old phoned her mother, who suggested she get a taxi, but Bentham insisted he would take her.

The woman could only remember asking him to slow down before the crash.

In her victim impact statement, she said she was given a five per cent chance of surviving when she arrived at hospital and it was "touch and go" for weeks after that.

Her injuries included multiple fractures and extensive injuries to her internal organs, which required further reconstructive surgery. She is still undergoing operations.

The woman said: “My life has been turned upside down. I cannot look at myself in the mirror because of my injuries."

Accident investigators said accident was likely to have been caused by a "combination of excess speed and impairment due to alcohol consumption".

Tony Davis, mitigating said Bentham, had no recollection of what had happened and had had nothing but “bitter remorse” for the consequences of his actions.

He added the father-of-three was still being treated for depression after suffering a fractured skull. And the self-employed bricklayer was no longer able to work because of his injuries.

A blood sample had been taken from Bentham while he was in a coma following the crash, but he refused to give consent for it to be tested.

The judge said this was an aggravating feature, as well Bentham's previous convictions for driving with excess alcohol and driving while disqualified.

Bentham, 33, of Cuthbert Avenue, Sherburn Road Estate, Gilesgate, Durham, who pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to allow a blood sample to be analysed, was disqualified from driving for five years. He will only get his licence back following an extensive test.