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2 December 2010
Last updated at 08:10 ET
A drunk driver who left a girl fighting for her life on her eighth birthday has been jailed for 22 months.
Robert Smith, 46, was three-and-a-half times over the limit when he crashed into the back of a broken down car on the hard shoulder of the M8 in January.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how the girl, who had to be cut from the car, had part of her skull removed due to swelling on her brain.
Sheriff John McCormick also banned Smith from driving for 10 years.
At an earlier hearing, Smith, from Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, admitted drink-driving and driving dangerously causing serious and life threatening injuries to the girl on 17 January this year.
The court heard that the the girl and her mother were driving home on the M8 from a birthday day out at Braehead when they had to pull on to the hard shoulder with a flat tyre.
Driving erratically As they waited for roadside assistance, Smith's van ploughed into the back of the car, where the girl was sitting.
Emergency services were called and fire fighters had to cut the youngster from the vehicle before she was rushed to hospital.
Smith was found to be over the drink-drive limit after being breathalysed by police.
Other motorists had also seen him driving erratically with no lights on and driving along the hard shoulder for some distance.
A satellite tracker in his van showed that he was driving at 52mph but crash scene investigators reported that he made no attempt to break before hitting the car.
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Robert Smith, 46, was three-and-a-half times over the limit when he crashed into the back of a broken down car on the hard shoulder of the M8 in January.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how the girl, who had to be cut from the car, had part of her skull removed due to swelling on her brain.
Sheriff John McCormick also banned Smith from driving for 10 years.
At an earlier hearing, Smith, from Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, admitted drink-driving and driving dangerously causing serious and life threatening injuries to the girl on 17 January this year.
The court heard that the the girl and her mother were driving home on the M8 from a birthday day out at Braehead when they had to pull on to the hard shoulder with a flat tyre.
Driving erratically As they waited for roadside assistance, Smith's van ploughed into the back of the car, where the girl was sitting.
Emergency services were called and fire fighters had to cut the youngster from the vehicle before she was rushed to hospital.
Smith was found to be over the drink-drive limit after being breathalysed by police.
Other motorists had also seen him driving erratically with no lights on and driving along the hard shoulder for some distance.
A satellite tracker in his van showed that he was driving at 52mph but crash scene investigators reported that he made no attempt to break before hitting the car.
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