Driver left best friend with torn bowel after falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into a house in Yorkshire

Jacob Cummins, 20, admitted that he had been up at 6am and working from 7am-8pm on September 15 last year before heading to York city centre for a night out.

His group did not leave the Yates pub until 2am and set off to return to their homes in rural villages, with Mr Cummins driving Connor Campbell-Miles after dropping another friend off.

York Crown Court heard that Mr Cummins had refused an offer of a lift home from a female friend who was concerned that he had been drinking and was 'swaying', and as they passed through the hamlet of High Marishes, between Malton and Pickering, he fell asleep and lost control of his Ford Fiesta.

He struck a house, Hawthorn Cottage, and demolished a large part of the wall, leaving a 6ftx6ft hole in the front room. The owners were upstairs asleep at the time.

Mr Cummins was not injured and Mr Campbell-Miles managed to escape from the wreckage, but was 'in agony' and taken straight to hospital, where it was found his bowel had been severed in four places by his ribs.

He was critically ill, his family were called to his bedside to say goodbye and he underwent several major operations and later contracted sepsis.

Mr Cummins made 'immediate and frank' admissions to police that he had been awake for 20 hours, and though there was alcohol in his system he was not over the legal limit. He pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving at the first opportunity.

Mr Campbell-Miles, also 20, was asleep in the back seat when the crash happened, but the windscreen of the car on the passenger side was pierced by a large beam and the court was told that anyone sitting in the front seat would not have survived the collision.

A victim impact statement read out to the court told how Mr Campbell-Miles had been forced to give up his job at a fencing company, had lost four stone in weight and now rarely socialises as he lacks confidence. He has been diagnosed with PTSD and still wears an abdominal brace.

"I have been reduced to watching the world go by on social media, and have had to see photos of Jacob socialising and having a great time. I feel like I am being punished."

Mr Cummins' defence counsel said his client, of Sledmere near Driffield, was 'remorseful' and an 'upstanding young man' who had been highly thought-of in his job.

He had refused his friend's offer to drive him home as he needed his car to get to work for another 7am start later the same day.

Sentencing him to eight months in prison and banning him from driving for two years, Judge Sean Morris said: "You are a decent young man, but you have got to realise that cars can be one of the most dangerous weapons. You are fortunate your actions did not result in a death and anyone in the passenger seat would not have survived.

"It is not possible to work such long hours then go out partying and drive home safely. You ignored your friend's pleadings not to drive.

"You have changed a man's life and the impact on his family has been devastating."