A PEDESTRIAN catapulted across the roof of a car driven by a drunk today welcomed his punishment.Ipswich secretary Katie Sparling was left with multiple injuries after a car driven by businessman Ross Wright mounted the pavement in Foxhall Road and ploughed into her.

A PEDESTRIAN catapulted across the roof of a car driven by a drunk today welcomed his punishment.

Ipswich secretary Katie Sparling was left with multiple injuries after a car driven by businessman Ross Wright mounted the pavement in Foxhall Road and ploughed into her.

A breath test revealed Wright, of Gladstone Road, Ipswich, was nearly THREE times the legal drink drive limit.

Sentencing Wright to 200 hours unpaid work in the community and a two year driving ban, bench chairman Paul Condon told him he had very narrowly avoided jail.

Mr Condon said: "It was a serious incident, your driving was seriously impaired and there was injury to a pedestrian on the pavement. You came very very close to custody."

After the sentence at the magistrates' court in Ipswich Miss Sparling, said: "This should be a real lesson to others like him. I hope he realises the dangers he caused to innocent people when he got behind the wheel that night.

"His sentence may be over in two years, but this could stay with me for life. I won't walk along the pavement any more.

"I get taxis everywhere now because when I hear the sound of a car approaching it is a terrible reminder. I am also wary of driving and I am nervous about getting behind the wheel."

Prosecutor Godfried Duah, said Miss Sparling was walking home from a night out with her partner Vincent Langley when she was struck by the car driven without its lights on.

The vehicle travelled approximately 10 to 15 feet before it came to a halt and was chased by Langley.

Mr Duah said Sparling's injuries included cuts to her left shin, a cut at the back of her head, severe bruising all over her body and a severe black left eye.

A police breath test revealed 99 mcg in 100 ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcg.

Mr Duah said read from a statement given by Langley which said: "The collision caused the lady to go over the bonnet of the vehicle. She was then thrown over the roof of the car."

Wright admitted one charge of drink driving and another of careless driving.

His solicitor Mark Holt said he was "wholly remorseful" and had intended to go home by taxi but drove to make a short journey to see his brother after a row.

He said in a Volvo Wright would have been unable to turn the lights off, so would at least had the sidelights on. He also said Wright had intended to stop at the scene.

Magistrates also fined Wright £200 for careless driving and ordered him to pay £70 towards prosecution costs.

He was given the option of reducing his two year ban by six months if he successfully completes a drivers' rehabilitation course.