A MAN who left two friends seriously injured after driving a car while drunk was told yesterday a prison sentence is inevitable

The warning was made by Judge Judy Moir after a jury at Durham Crown Court returned a unanimous guilty verdict on 24-year-old Graham Leigh, who denied a charge of dangerous driving.

Leigh, of Avenue Vivian, Fence Houses, near Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, told police he had drunk ten pints of lager on the day of the accident, on February 27, 1999.

Leigh, who said he had neither a driving licence or a car, claimed he had no memory of driving and said he came round in the back seat of the wreckage.

The court heard that the Honda Accord went out of control on Black Boy Road, Chilton Moor, hitting the wall of a hump- back bridge before becoming airborne.

During the four-day trial, witnesses said they saw a man answering Leigh's description pulling two passengers, Donna Marie Walker and Scott Leather, from the car before wandering off.

When police caught him hours later, tests proved he was over the drink-drive limit.

Following the guilty verdict, the court was told Leigh had previous driving offences and had served a three-year disqualification.

Adjourning sentence for reports, Judge Moir bailed Leigh, but warned him: "A custodial sentence is in my mind."

l Judge Moir also admonished witness Stephen Kidd, of Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, for refusing to give evidence, as he claimed threats were made against him.

The judge said she could have jailed him for contempt of court, but in the circumstances, after hearing that the matter has been reported to police, and as it had no effect on the verdict, she took no further action.