A drink-driver who ran over a firefighter, pinning him to another vehicle and breaking his legs, has been jailed after we found she was almost three times the legal limit.

Jill Carvell, aged 61, was in a Dacia Duster when she reversed at speed in Louise Street, Gornal, hitting the off-duty firefighter and trapping him between her car and a stationary vehicle.

The 55-year-old firefighter, who was just weeks away from retiring, suffered breaks to both of his legs.

He is making a good recovery following the horror crash on Saturday 4 July last year but has now left the fire service and faces a long period of recuperation.

Following the collision, Carvell was arrested and a breath test showed she had 100 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, almost three times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes.

She was interviewed by officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit the following day and admitted she’d driven dangerously and was drunk at the time.

Carvell, of Osberton Drive, Dudley, was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday 8th January after she pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and causing serious injury due to dangerous driving.

Judge Berlin sentenced her to 18 months in custody and disqualified her from driving for four years and nine months.

On passing the sentence, Judge Berlin said that it was necessary to imprison Carvell as it was his belief she posed a danger to the public due to her behaviour. Sergeant Mark Crozier of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said:

“Once again this collision highlights the dangers of driving whilst under the influence of alcohol and the devastating consequences that result from it.

"The firefighter suffered injuries that ended his career and the thoughts of all at West Midlands Police are with him whilst he continues to make a recovery”