A senior carer suffered "life-changing" injuries when her car was hit almost head-on by a drink driver after he had been on a night out in Ilkley.

Paula Parker, who had to be cut free from her Ford Fiesta car following the early morning collision last April, sat in court in a wheelchair today as 22-year-old student Jamie Baldock was locked up for three years after he admitted an offence of causing her serious injuries by dangerous driving.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Baldock, a student of criminology and sociology at Sheffield Hallam University, had been drinking beer, whisky and champagne during a night out with his friends, but when he could not stay over at a friend's home he tried to sleep off the alcohol in his mum's parked up Toyota Urban Cruiser.

Shortly before 7am the next day he decided to drive home, but after two-and-a-half miles he was distracted by a bottle rolling around in the vehicle and drove straight across a bend on the A65 Coutances Way and smashed into Mrs Parker's car.

Prosecutor Rebecca Young said Mrs Parker had been on her way from Otley to Ben Rhydding for her first appointment and she had little time to react.

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Miss Young said Mrs Parker started to panic when she realised she could not feel her legs and she had to be cut free by firefighters before she could be taken to Leeds General Infirmary.

The court heard that Mrs Parker had to undergo surgery to remove her spleen and part of her small intestine and also had to have treatment for the fractures to her left leg and right foot.

The complainant also had to wear a hard collar as a result of the fracture to her neck and she was told she would never fully recover her injuries.

Miss Young read from Mrs Parker's victim personal statement in which she described how she suffered flashbacks and was now unable to walk very far.

"She is currently waiting another operation on her left leg because it hasn't healed properly," said Miss Young.

Mrs Parker, who will be on various medication for the rest of her life, was said to be in constant pain and she described her injuries as being "life-changing".

Miss Young said the complainant had previously been a fit and healthy woman who was good at her job and extremely sociable.

Baldock, of Turnshaw Road, Kirkburton, Huddersfield, pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this month and the court heard that when he was breathalysed at the accident scene he was found to be about three times the legal drink-drive limit.

He told police that he had been surprised when he saw the beer bottle roll from underneath the passenger seat and when he looked back up the Fiesta car was directly in front of him.

Although he said his last drink at been at about 2am he said he felt fine and honestly thought he was alright to drive that morning.

Baldock admitted to officers that he had made an extremely stupid mistake and he said he felt "gutted" about what had happened.

The court heard that the maximum sentence for causing serious injury by dangerous driving was five years and Judge Jonathan Rose jailed Baldock for three years.

He also banned him from driving for three years and ordered Baldock to pass an extended test before lawfully being able to drive again on the roads.

Lawyer Nigel Jamieson, for Baldock, conceded that whatever the consequences were for his client they paled into insignificance compared to the effects on Mrs Parker.

He said Baldock wanted him to apologise to her for what he had done.

Judge Rose emphasised that Baldock would eventually be released from his prison sentence and he would not have to spend the rest of his life taking medication like Mrs Parker.

The judge said Baldock had caused "irreparable, permanent and long-lasting serious harm" to the complainant and it was all unnecessary.

"Sleeping it off does not make the alcohol in your blood go away," the judge told Baldock.

"You were drunk. You're a drink driver who has ruined a woman's life that's why you are going to prison for a substantial period of time today."