A WIRRAL motorist has left a pedestrian with life-changing injuries after falling asleep at the wheel and mounting a pavement on the opposite carriageway.

Sean Pue's Vauxhall Corsa collided with 78-year-old Kenneth Thompson at about 7.10am on October 30 last year on the pavement in Greenway Road, Tranmere.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the pensioner's injuries included a broken left kneecap and injured right knee. He spent two weeks in hospital followed by many hours of physiotherapy.

Pue, who was on his way home after going to a McDonald's drive-thru for breakfast, drove off after the accident but was quickly tracked down to his home in Poulton Road, Seacombe.

A breath test revealed he was just three micrograms over the drink driving limit but a back calculation by an expert showed he would have been nearer twice the limit at the time of the accident.

A judge heard that remorseful Pue, who has no previous driving convictions, would "swap places with Mr Thompson in a heart beat" and was in tears when reading of the harm he had caused.

But while Judge Anil Murray said that while he took all his mitigation - including the prospect of losing his home and job - into consideration there had to be an immediate jail term and sentenced him to 20 months' imprisonment.

He also banned him from driving for five years ten months and he cannot get back behind the wheel until he takes an extended re-test.

Pue, 47 had pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol.

Simon Duncan, prosecuting, who played CCTV of the incident, said that Mr Thompson had gone to his local shop for his morning newspaper and was stood on the pavement outside the shop waiting to cross.

"As he was waiting for the car to pass he was glancing at his newspaper and looked up to see the car coming towards him and he formed the impression the driver was intending to stop at the shop.

"But the engine noise increased as it accelerated and it mounted the pavement and struck him.

"He did not recall the impact and felt he lost consciousness for some time before waking up on the pavement with a number of people assisting him.

"In fact he had been tossed into the air.

"A witness said he looked at the driver and saw he had his eyes open with a fixed look on his face," said Mr Duncan.

Pue drove off and witnesses went to help Mr Thompson who was taken to hospital by ambulance.

His left leg did not need surgery but was in a cast for six weeks and he then had to use crutches.

He had also suffered a laceration to his right knee which had to be cleaned out in theatre and five stitches inserted.

He needed two pints of blood, had a large haemotoma to his right calf and he had cuts and bruises to his head, feet, hands and arms.

In an impact statement Mr Thompson told how he had had trouble sleeping because of flashbacks, has never been back to the shop and can no longer walk his dog as often or as far as he did before.

He said: "I am nervous when waiting to cross a road and had been left feeling frail and vulnerable".

Mr Duncan said that when police arrived at Pue's home they found the car outside with a broken wing mirror and scuff marks on the bonnet.

After he did not open the door officers went in and found him upstairs.

He said he had been working in the Armchair pub as a doorman.

He was arrested and later breathalysed and a back calculation revealed the reading would have been about 62 micrograms at the time of the collision.

He said he had had three shandies before 11.30 pm and six or seven cans of lager between 2-6am.

He initially denied involvement in the accident but then went on to admit it and said he may have fallen asleep.

Andrew McInnes, defending, said that Pue had been working at B&M Bargains and after finishing work at 6pm had gone to work as a doorman at the pub.

After getting home he had a few beers and feeling hungry went to the McDonalds at Rock Ferry and was going home when the accident happened.

He was working two jobs to help support his two teenage children who live with his ex-wife.

"He felt exhausted and cannot recall exactly what happened in the run up to the impact.

"He thinks the impact woke him up," said Mr McInnes.

He has not driven since, reduced his alcohol intake, given up the pub job.

Despite being "a strong man" whose security work has involved dealing with difficult situations, "he was in tears when interviewed and when the impact statement was read to him."

Judge Murray said that witnesses had seen Pue's car straying across the while line in Bebington Road shortly before the collision and he then drove along the wrong side of Greenway Road before hitting Mr Thompson.

"That was not momentary inattention," he said.