A YOUNG drink driver who hospitalised a dog walker and killed his West Highland terrier has been jailed for 14 months.

Charles Richard Collins, 22, shared 12 bottles of alcohol with a friend before getting behind the wheel of his campervan and crashing into Andrew Borrill and dog Ben in Poole.

The dog died at the scene and Mr Borrill suffered life-threatening injuries.

The grandfather spent eight days in hospital after suffering a bleed on the brain, a broken neck and countless cuts and bruises all over his body.

Nearly two hours after the collision, Collins was breathalised and was twice the drink drive limit and also tested positive on a drug swipe.

Collins pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, criminal damage (for killing the dog), drink driving and driving while unfit through drugs.

The defendant, of Uppleby Road, Poole, appeared for sentencing at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, June 6.

Judge Stephen Climie sentenced him to 14 months imprisonment and disqualified him from driving for four years and seven months.

Prosecutor Edward Hollingsworth said Collins had driven to the Budgens at Creekmoor service station at 5am on September 19 last year where he bought a crate of 12 bottles of Heineken.

He and a friend parked up in the Talbot Express campervan and drank the beers before leaving the service station at 8.45am.

Twenty minutes later Collins mounted the pavement in Compton Avenue and hit Mr Borrill and eight-year-old Ben.

The dog died at the scene, while IT consultant Mr Borrill suffered life-threatening injuries, which are likely to affect him for the rest of his life.

He had operations and treatment for a brain bleed, torn ear that required stitches, a broken tooth, neck fractures, four further operations for dislocated toes, cuts and bruises all across his body.

Mitigating, Harry Garside said what the defendant had done had shocked his client to his core.

"He needs and deserves punishment," Mr Garside said.

The barrister submitted that while the offence crossed the custody threshold, the sentence could be suspended, adding that Collins will not reoffend.

Judge Climie said in his view only immediate custody could be imposed.

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