Sloshed driver who bashed into crash barrier dodges jail

Accused’s motor ended up facing wrong way in street

A boozed- up driver has been banned from the road after smashing into a barrier and spinning on to the other side of the street.

Paul Hanney, 36, swerved into oncoming traffic before crashing – ending up facing the opposite direction.

Smoke billowed out from under the bonnet and debris lay scattered across the road.

Horrified families watched as he staggered out and collapsed on to the street, then told a cop: “Sorry mate, I have been drinking and I drove my motor.”

Hanney avoided a stretch behind bars after admitting careless driving at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Sh e r i f f D av i d Pe n d e r warned he was lucky not to have been jailed for the stunt. He said “You were obviously very drunk.

“If you had killed somebody in the course of these exploits, you would have ended up in the High Court and could have been jailed for years.

“You should bear in mind that this is an alternative to custody and if you do not comply, you will go to prison.”

The court heard Hanney ploughed into a parked motor before reversing and screeching off.

A taxi driver spotted him minutes later lurching towards cars parked outside shops in the town’s west end.

Prosecutor Martina McGuigan told how his silver motor veered towards cars parked at the shops in Broomlands Street.

She said: “It was swerving and braking erratically then mounted a kerb and drove into a metal barrier.

“Hitting it caused the accused’s car to go into a 180-degree spin and come to rest on the opposite side of the road.

“Witnesses saw the accused exit the driver’s side and describe him as struggling onto the central reservation.

“They made their way towards him to make sure he was okay.

“At that point, he tripped and fell and his speech was slurred.

“Officers where nearby and saw him lying on the middle reservation.

“The car was on the street facing into oncoming traffic with the airbags deployed.” Onlookers called police, who found Hanney lying on the road, reeking of booze around 11pm on October 20 last year. He was taken to a police station and agreed to take a breath test.

But he changed his mind and twice refused to give a reading.

Defence lawyer Waqqas Ashraf admitted his client had a drink problem.

He said: “Hi s a l c o h o l consumption spiralled out of control after a breakdown in the relationship with his wife.

“This is a matter he completely regrets.

“He essentially has no recollection of the events – that’s something that disgusts him.

“It’s something that has brought shame on him and he knows the consequences it could have had on other people.”

Hanney was fined £ 500, disqualified for three years and ordered to complete booze counselling.

Hanney, of Lismore Drive, was also placed under supervision and ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work in 12 months.