A drunk driver has been jailed after he knocked a stone sculpture onto a pedestrian while racing the wrong way along down the road.
Pedestrian Dennis Ross, 69, had stopped to admire the statue and read an inscription on its base in the streets of Manchester when David Taylor, 39, came racing up behind him in his Vauxhall Vectra.
Taylor lost control and hit another vehicle, dislodging the art installation from its concrete plinth, causing it to land on Mr Ross, trapping him underneath the heavy installation.
IT programme manager Mr Ross suffered catastrophic crush injuries to his right foot.
He had to have his toes amputated and is in a wheelchair while he waits to find out whether he could lose his entire leg too.
Taylor, who had been drinking with his boss in a nearby pub, fled the scene and tried to escape by swimming across a nearby canal.
But he was detained in a citizens arrest by passersby and brought back to the crash site.
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Tests showed he was more than twice the alcohol limit and inquiries revealed he had three previous drink related driving convictions.
At Manchester Crown Court, dad-of-two Taylor, of Ashton-under-Lyne admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drink driving.
He was jailed for 28 months and was also banned from driving for five years and two months.
The incident occurred at 2.30pm on July 24, 2019, when the victim of the crash was visiting Manchester with friends.
The group were taking a stroll around the city's Northern Quarter district of Ancoats, Greater Manchester, when Mr Ross stopped to look at the Serafino's Stone monument which honours a local businessman who helped the area's close-knit Italian community in the 19th-century.
Taylor had been driving the wrong way at speed along a one way street and collided with a 4×4 VW pulling out of a side street.
The impact caused both vehicles to career into the sculpture with horrific consequences for Mr Ross.
Prosecutor Gavin Howie said: ''Mr Ross appears to have bent down pausing to read the inscription on the stone when he heard the sound of a car revving very high and a loud bang.
"He looked up and saw a large black object coming towards him and he fell to the floor in immense pain when the stone landed on his foot and crushed him.
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''He tried to get up and realised his right foot was pinned under the stone and he was screaming in pain.
''The stone was moved by members of the public but he could see his foot was badly injured and a large gash on the top of his toes and they appeared to be hanging on by threads of skin.''
''The defendant attempted to drive off then got out to see the car was badly damaged and then tried to walk off.
"But a member of the public said ‘you’re not going anywhere you’re p..sed’. Members of the public then followed him and they went towards the canal and saw a male there sat with his head in his hands.
"He then ran off under the canal bridge whilst the witnesses ran across to cut him off.
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''They said ‘you’re going nowhere mate you’ve nearly killed someone’. They boxed him in but he jumped into the canal and swam to the other side and they saw him trying to flag down a Nissan car.
"But they detained him and escorted him back to the location and the police arrived.
''The defendant kept being asked to be let go that he would pay for any damage and that he was going to get done.
"He was then spoken to at the scene and said a male from South Africa had been driving and had runoff. But he smelt of intoxicants and was unsteady on his feet with glazed eyes.''
A roadside test showed Taylor had 82 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
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The legal limit is 35mg. He later accepted he had gone through a no entry sign while under the influence of alcohol.
Mr Ross spent six weeks in Manchester Royal Infirmary and underwent numerous operations.
He had pins and plates inserted in his leg and had skin grafts from his leg.
Mr Howie said: ''he medical notes showed multiple fractures to the foot and Mr Ross fears he may yet lose a further part of his lower leg.
''Prior to the accident he walked five miles a day and had a very active social life with grandchildren he plays with.
"He was on his back for two months after this incident and was unable to drive. It's had a massive impact on his social life and he is unable to attend events and met friends. He has suffered a massive loss of confidence and has had to use a wheelchair.
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''He’s very aware of how difficult it can be with wheelchair access and sometimes feels invisible when he's out. He now uses crutches, its reduced his interaction with his grandchildren and has he suffered some depression. He had intended to work for another five years but after this, it’s uncertain if he can do that.''
The court heard Taylor had convictions in 2000 and 2007 for failing to provide a specimen of breath and drink driving in 2010.
His lawyer Andrew Scott said: ''He accepts full responsibility for the injuries caused to Mr Ross. He acknowledges and recognises the detrimental effect and life-changing effect of his actions and the effect they have had on Mr Ross more importantly on his quality of life.
''It may come as little or no comfort to Mr Ross but my client apologises again through me to him for the devastation he has caused by his senseless actions and getting behind the wheel of a vehicle when in drink.
''He has not driven since the day of this terrible incident which will not only weigh on Mr Ross’s mind for some time but also weigh heavily on Mr Taylor’s mind too.''
Sentencing Judge Michael Leeming told Taylor: ''You had been drinking in a public house after being asked to go for a drink by your employer having had too much to drink the night before.
''A combination of the previous night's drinking and the lunchtime alcohol put you in this state. Mr Ross suffered multiple fractures to his right foot and a severe crush injury which led to complete loss of toes. This was a life-changing injury and he will be constantly reminded of it.
''He works in IT and had driven up to 800 miles in connection with work – but he can no longer do so. Life is far more difficult for him then it was and all of this is caused by you, a drunken driver with a bad drink driving record who was foolish and arrogant enough to get behind the wheel and drive again – giving no thought at all to the consequences of innocent road users and pedestrians.''
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