A drug driver left a woman with a broken back after he ploughed into her car on a street in Northumberland.
Connor Eldridge had taken cocaine the night before he got behind the wheel of his Audi A3, in Hexham, and took a bend too fast.
A court heard that the 25-year-old crashed head-on into the oncoming vehicle, seriously injuring the female driver.
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Magistrates were told the victim's car was hit with such force, it was pushed backwards and the rear wheels mounted a low wall.
Eldridge was arrested then bailed while a sample of his blood was sent to be forensically examined.
However, the motor menace proved he hadn't learned is lesson and, just eight days later, was back behind the wheel - this time, while drunk.
Eldridge, of Canon Court, in Hexham, was convicted of the drink driving offence at the end of last year and given a 15-month ban.
However, on Wednesday, he was back in the dock at Newcastle Magistrates' Court to plead guilty to driving above the specified drugs limit and careless driving.
Jonathan Straughan, prosecuting, said the victim was travelling along Eilansgate, in Hexham, at around 6.50am on September 2 last year.
She saw Eldridge's vehicle approaching, so reduced her speed to a "crawl".
Mr Straughan added: "The defendant's vehicle approached at speed and was over the centre white line.
"A collision ensued and her car was pushed up the road. Her rear wheels mounted a low wall. She suffered three fractured vertebrae, whip lash, soft tissue damage and a cut lip.
"The defendant was also injured."
The court heard that Eldridge was also taken to hospital, where a sample of his blood was taken for analysis.
He was later found to be over the limit for Benzoylecgonine (BZE), a breakdown product of cocaine.
Just eight days after his arrest, Eldridge was caught behind the wheel of a Hyundai in Hexham while drunk.
He gave a reading of 56mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the legal limit is just 35.
Katherine Fowle, defending, said Eldridge had been out taking cocaine with his girlfriend the evening before the accident but had been to sleep.
He'd then argued with his partner and, believing the drug was out of his system, decided to drive to his mother's house, the solicitor told the court.
Ms Fowle continued: "He accepts he's gone around the bend and has not adjusted his speed accordingly.
"He's gone down the road and a collision has ensued. It's unfortunate the complainant suffered the injuries that she did."
Eldridge was given an 18-month community order, with 100 hours of unpaid work, and was banned from the roads for 20 months.
