A MAN has been jailed after seriously injuring a couple when driving dangerously.

Tyron Griffiths, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, April 9.

Griffiths, of Talbot Close in Highbridge, was driving over the Hildesheim Bridge in Weston-Super-Mare at around 2.20am on Friday, December 13 2019 when he lost control of his vehicle and hit the married couple.

The pair had been dropped off in the town centre following a coach trip with their son, who witnessed what happened.

They were taken to hospital with serious and potentially life-threatening head injuries.

The husband, now 70, sustained injuries to his right leg that required surgery and his wife, 67, suffered fractures to her elbow, knee and ribs and still needs medical care.

The driver failed to stop at the scene and was found asleep in his car in Burnham-on-Sea later that morning.

The Corsa had sustained damage to the windscreen following the collision and the passer-by reported it to the police, suspecting the vehicle had been involved in a crash.

Collision investigators examined the scene and the car and were able to show the damage was consistent with the injuries the married couple suffered.

Officers attended and arrested Griffiths who initially refused to engage during police interview, before later telling officers he had been drinking alcohol that night.

He was found to be two-and-a-half times over the limit.

Judge Michael Longman said: “You mowed down two innocent pedestrians while more than twice the legal limit.

“Your behaviour was dangerous and you created that danger by drinking and driving.”

He was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to two years in prison and was handed a five-year driving ban.

Investigating officer Dai Nicholas said: “Tyron Griffiths’ blameless victims sustained terrible injuries because of his selfish decision to drive after drinking alcohol. They have shown incredible fortitude in their recovery from this shocking collision and we’re grateful for their continued support during our investigation and this court process.

“Without wishing to downplay the seriousness of the injuries they sustained, people should be under no illusion that it’s only through sheer luck and the work of medics that Griffiths did not kill someone.

“For a long time he refused to accept responsibility for his dangerous actions until being faced with overwhelming evidence collated by police.

“He drove off from the scene without checking on the two people he’d seriously hurt and initially refused to answer officers’ questions.

“We welcome the custodial sentence handed out to him and hope it acts as a warning to others.

“Drinking alcohol before getting behind the wheel of a car is reckless and significantly increases the likelihood of a collision.

“It puts you, as a driver, at risk of harm but also innocent bystanders too.”