A DRIVER deliberately put his car into a spin while over the drink limit and crashed into a cyclist, a court heard.
Clifford Stewart, 24, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and being more than twice the alcohol limit when the accident happened in Newton Aycliffe.
The woman cyclist, who was pedalling along the pavement, was lucky to escape without injury, Teesside Crown Court was told yesterday.
Stewart had passengers in the car when he tried to spin round a keep-left bollard in the middle of Woodham Way, Newton Aycliffe.
High Court judge Sir Edwin Jowitt told Stewart: "It was an appalling piece of driving and the height of folly. You were fortunate that no one was badly hurt or killed."
Stewart, of Caldwell Green, Darlington, also admitted failing to stop, and failing to report the accident.
He pleaded guilty to further charges of possessing wooden sticks as offensive weapons in disturbances in Newton Aycliffe and Darlington, affray and perverting justice by giving a false name to police. He was jailed for 18 months.
Gavin Dawes, 20, of Gregory Terrace, Ferryhill, who admitted the affray in Newton Aycliffe with Stewart, was given 130 hours' community service work and ordered to pay £150 costs
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