A woman who struck several parked cars before mounting the pavement and mowing down a pedestrian in an early morning drink-driving incident was jailed today.
Strain, from Meyrick Park in Belfast, was over twice the legal limit when she lost control of her car and crashed on the Ballysillan Road in the north of the city, striking a local man walking home at around 2.30am.
She was told she will spend half the sentence in custody, followed by a year on licence, and was banned from driving for five years.
Belfast Crown Court heard the pedestrian suffered "catastrophic injuries" including the loss of his left eye, multiple fractures throughout his body and a punctured lung.
He also had to undergo reconstructive surgery to his face and hand, requires ongoing surgery, is in "constant pain" and has suffered both financially and mentally.
Prosecuting barrister Rosemary Walsh said the collision occurred close to the Boy's Model school at around 3am on April 22 last year. Whilst no-one saw the collision itself, two witnesses - a local resident and a taxi driver - both observed the aftermath.
One of the witnesses was woken by a loud bang, and saw a grey car sitting across the road outside his house.
Strain rang the emergency service from the scene, and was observed trying to move her badly damaged car after the collision. By the time police arrived, the injured man had been put in the recovery position, and was then rushed to hospital.
Strain was arrested and given a breath test, which indicated she was driving over two and a half times over the legal limit.
Defence barrister Sean Devine rejected suggestions Strain was trying to flee the scene and instead made the case that she moved her car to provide better access to the injured man.
Mr Devine revealed that prior to getting behind the wheel, Strain had been drinking and watching a boxing match with her fiance, that they had a row, and that she left his house "in an upset and distressed condition".
She appeared in court after admitting causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving, and driving with excess alcohol.
As he sentenced Strain, Judge McFarland said that after losing control of her vehicle, she "essentially bounced off five parked cars" before coming into contact with the pedestrian.
The Judge also noted the "catastrophic" life-changing injuries sustained by the pedestrian, and warned that drivers over the limit who caused similar accidents would go to jail.