A drunk driver mounted the pavement and slammed into pedestrians, injuring a mother and crushing a pushchair with her six-month-old baby boy in it against a wall.
The “despicable” incident happened in Belgrave Road on the evening of October 14 last year as pedestrians were walking along the Leicester’s famous Golden Mile.
After drinking and having a row with his ex-wife, Bipranjit Singh got in his car and left his home in Cossington Street, Belgrave, intending to drive round and confront her in person. On joining Belgrave Road he swerved onto the pavement, knocking into a male pedestrian who had to run to avoid being pulled beneath the vehicle. No sooner had he managed to get clear of the car Singh, who was nearly twice the drink-driving limit, drove towards two sisters out walking with their three children. The 32-year-old's car ended up pinning one mother to the wall of a shop, smashing her right leg, and also crushing her baby son’s pushchair against the wall.
The baby escaped unhurt.
The woman has still not recovered from her injuries and still walks using two crutches seven months after the incident.
Singh, who admitted charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol, was jailed for 22 months at Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday and will be banned from driving for two years after his release.
Judge Martin Hurst told him it was a “despicable act” and praised the members of public who grabbed Singh to ensure he could not escape or do any further harm after his car came to a halt.
The judge said it made no sense why Singh had decided to mount the pavement when one of the two lanes of Belgrave Road was clear of traffic.
