An Ipswich driver has retained the love of his wife – despite causing a crash which left her in hospital for a fortnight.

Dimitar Mitev was already banned from driving when he ploughed a newly-bought BMW into a tree in Yarmouth Road on April 22 – leaving his spouse seriously injured.

Days later, he admitted dangerous driving, two counts of driving while disqualified and two counts of driving without insurance at magistrates’ court.

The 31-year-old had been banned for six months for driving while disqualified and without insurance in January.

On April 6, he was caught driving a Ford Galaxy without a licence or insurance near his home in Dickens Road, where he had lived for two years since moving from Bulgaria.

The car wash attendant was awaiting charge when he drove a red BMW 330i at speed along Yarmouth Road two weeks later.

At a crown court sentencing hearing on Thursday, prosecutor David Baird said witnesses in an oncoming car saw the BMW travel towards London Road at 80-90mph, before losing control, colliding with a bollard, flipping on its side and hitting a tree.

Meanwhile, a pedestrian estimated the vehicle’s speed to be about 60mph after entering Yarmouth Road from Bramford Road just after 11.20pm.

Mitev provided a breathalyser reading of 39 microgrammes – the legal limit being 35mcg – but an evidential blood sample proved negative at hospital.

His wife – and mother of his two children – was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital with a subdural haematoma and a broken wrist, leg and pelvis.

She underwent four operations and remains three months away from a full recovery, but still loves her husband of 11 years, according to a statement read by solicitor Roger Thomson, who said Mitev was “clearly, very remorseful” and had already spent a month in custody after being denied bail by magistrates.

Mr Recorder Garrett Byrne told Mitev he had put himself and other people at risk, adding: “The most aggravating feature was the fact your wife was in the car – but that didn’t stop you driving at excessive speed, causing you to lose control.”

Mitev was handed a 12 month jail term, suspended for 18 months, and was banned from driving for the length of the suspension.