A motorist who was four times over the alcohol limit when she killed her uncle after ploughing into a pedestrian in an early morning smash has been jailed for two years.

John Flynn, 88, who died two weeks after receiving severe head injuries in the collision, was a passenger in the Mitsubishi Gallant being driven by his niece, Joan Garbutt, 44.

The pedestrian, university student Claire Bailey, 20, suffered a fractured pelvis and damaged ligaments to her knee after Garbutt's vehicle struck her as she crossed the A690 on February 16 last year.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Garbutt was driving her uncle back to Gilesgate, in Durham City, after he had spent the night at her home in New Brancepeth, when she lost control of the car.

She had been up all night drinking and mourning the loss of her boyfriend on the first anniversary of his death when she "stupidly" agreed to the lift.

Prosecutor John Aitken told an earlier hearing: "They were in a queue of about 100 metres before the traffic lights where they were going to turn left.

"Inexplicably, at that point the defendant lurched out of the single lane of traffic on to the wrong side of the road.

"She accelerated rapidly, to about 30mph over a short distance and proceeded downhill towards traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing."

Witnesses said Miss Bailey was thrown in the air by the impact and was seen to cartwheel over the vehicle.

She was left tetraplegic after the accident and still walks using a stick for support.

Garbutt, of Prospect Place, New Brancepeth, Durham, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

Defence barrister Alec Burns told the court how Garbutt had been taking anti-depressants at the time of the accident, and had mixed them with alcohol.

He said: "She had been depressed for some time, two to three years, before the offence.

"It started with the death of her father which she did not cope well with.

Then her husband left her and her sons began to offend.

"She took up with a boyfriend who then died of a heart attack.

"The night before, when she had been drinking, was one year from the man's unexpected death."

Garbutt was also banned from driving for six years.