Boozer tried to flee after hitting two motors

A repeat drink- driver — with no licence or insurance — ploughed into a taxi and family motor, causing almost £24,000 of damage.

Christopher Bell, 28, bombed around a blind corner and smashed into a car carrying three tots, then tried to flee the carnage he had left behind.

He had been boozing and was almost twice the limit when he got behind the wheel of his wife’s Ford Fiesta.

Bell has been banned from the road for three years at Paisley Sheriff Court after he admitted careless driving.

Prosecutor Margaret McCallum told how he tried to leg it after the double-smash.

She said: “Ms Brannan is the partner of the accused and was in the house with him and her three children.

“He indicated he was going to the shops.

“At the time he left, she was aware he had been drinking.

“She wondered why the accused was taking so long and began to worry.

“She looked outside and observed her car wasn’t where she left it.

“A number of witnesses were travelling along Springhill Road — a Citroen with three infant children and a Skoda taxi.

“They saw a silver Ford Fiesta approach round the blind corner an excessive speed.

“The Fiesta lost control. It was the accused driving.

“It made contact with the offside rear tyre and wheel arch of the Citroen, before colliding with the front offside of the Skoda.

“As a result, none of the vehicles could be moved and were blocking the road.”

The court heard cops arrived at the scene of the crash in Barrhead.

They saw the drivers and passengers from the stricken motors standing by the wreckages.

Officers told how they spotted Bell running off around 3.10pm on July 18.

Cops chased him and a roadside test gave a reading of 37 microgrammes of booze in 100ml of breath — the limit is 22.

The court heard Bell caused a total of £23,000 damage to his victims’ cars and £900 to his wife’s.

They are still waiting to find out if their costs will be covered from her insurance.

Defence lawyer David Nicholson admitted it was his client’s second conviction for a similar offence.

He said: “He’s remorseful and deeply regrets the difficulties he has caused.

“He’s a man who has struggled with alcohol problems.

“He’s a family man and his partner is present in court, there’s four young children he is supporting from their relationship.”

Sheriff Linda Nicholson warned the yob he was lucky not to be behind bars.

She said: “There are a number of factors the court must take into account in this case.

“The first is the nature of the offences, in particular, drink- driving, this being your second office of that type.

“The careless driving is at the top end of the range and puts yourself and the public at risk.

“There has been a huge financial cost to others — it is others who will pay for that, not you.

“You did not have a full driving licence to be out on the road.”

Bell, of nearby Gertrude Place, Barrhead, has been disqualified from driving and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in 12 months.