A FORMER heroin addict was yesterday jailed for nine months following an accident that left a vicar's wife unable to walk again.

Judge Elgan Edwards said Lawrence West deserved to go to prison for causing the head-on crash that left Maureen Burghall in extreme pain.

"The fact of the matter is that this was a very bad piece of driving albeit short," he said.

"I appreciate that the accident caused you serious injury but equally you caused serious injury to Mrs Burghall." West, 29, showed no emotion as he was led out of the dock at Chester Crown Court.

His barrister Rebecca Faux had pleaded with the judge not to jail him.

But the Recorder of Chester said it was his public duty and he hoped it would act as a deterrent to others.

"If he had killed someone he would have faced a prison sentence of three years or more," he said. "I have to strike a balance."

West was also banned from driving for four years for dangerous driving and ordered to take an extended retest.

The court heard how West, who rents a flat on Longridge, was rushing to Macclesfield on February 12 last year. He overtook four cars on the A537 Chelford Road, Ollerton, at 10.54am, swerved to avoid a lorry then collided head-on with Mrs Burghall's black Vauxhall Carlton.

Mrs Burghall, whose husband Ken is vicar of Lower Peover Church, had been driving for more than 40 years.

She had to be cut free from her car and spent a month in hospital with broken ankles.

Doctors have told her she is unlikely to walk again unaided.

Jobless West, who is now on incapacity benefit, spent two weeks in hospital with a fractured and dislocated hip.

The court was told that West, who has been off drugs for 14 months, was now mentally and physically unable to work.

"He accepts that his driving fell well below the accepted standard," said Miss Faux.

"He feels genuine shame at his actions on the day."