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A drunk driver seriously injured a woman when he crashed into the back of a family car on the M6 - while drinking from a can of cider.

Bradley Simwanja had been “quite literally drink driving” when he ploughed into the Vauxhall Zafira after reaching speeds of up to 90mph.

Inside the car were Saira Pathan, her parents and three younger siblings.

Miss Pathan and her brother were thrown out on to the carriageway - although fortunately she was the only one who suffered major injury.

Simwanja, of Chester Road, Erdington, had previously admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol.

The 25-year-old was sentenced to two years and four months and banned from the roads for three years.

The court heard Simwanja had been a Jehovah’s Witness and had been having issues with his religion.

When quizzed Simwanja said he had been going through a stressful time and decided to go for a drive.

John Smitheman, defending, said: “There is no doubt that he fell asleep to some extent.”

He had been driving a Vauxhall Corsa and was seen by another driver at 1.40am, just before junction five, to be swerving between lanes.

At one point he veered over to the hard shoulder almost colliding with a barrier before swerving back on to the carriageway.

A few moments later he then hit the Zafira being driven by a man who had his wife and four children with him and who were returning from a family wedding in London.

“He struck them with such force that Miss Pathnan and her brother were thrown from the car into the carriageway.

“Some road users stopped to assist Miss Pathnan and her family and the police were called,” said Joanne Barker, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court.

Officers who arrived attended to the “walking wounded” while Miss Pathnan, who was discovered almost under a barrier, was taken to hospital where she remained for six weeks.

She suffered a number of injuries including a fractured spine with associated ligament damage while her feet and toes were described as a “mess.”

Miss Barker said the victim had been working for an international bank before the incident and had just been promoted to team leader.

In passing sentence Recorder Stephen Campbell said: “You drank alcohol to excess and were nearly twice the legal limit.

“You did not just drive on an ordinary road, you drove on the M6 motorway. You drove without wearing your glasses and sadly what followed was some very bad driving.

“Miss Pathan has been left with permanent reminders of what happened. She suffered pain on a daily basis and has permanent scarring.

“It has had a major effect on her life.”