A SERIAL drink driver wrote off his sister’s car when he drove it on three tyres through York city centre.

Damian Ashley Howard looked “smashed” according to an eye witness and sparks flew from a wheel of the Renault Twingo he was driving after drinking, said Martin Butterworth, prosecuting, at York magistrates.

He had shredded the wheel’s tyre and was driving on the metal rim at 3.20am over Ouse Bridge and along Bridge Street.

The 30-year-old “deliberately refused to take a breath test,” said Mr Butterworth.

Howard was on bail at the time for a drink driving offence involving a different car.

A month earlier on December 17, police investigating reports of a car crash involving a Peugeot in Manor Lane, Rawcliffe, at 10.35pm, found Howard in a Peugeot facing the wrong way, said Mr Butterworth.

He was asleep “in a rather unusual position” and the car’s engine was running. He told police he had no memory of getting to Manor Lane. A breath test revealed he was one and a half times the drink drive limit.

Howard, of Didsbury Close, Rawcliffe, pleaded guilty to being in charge of the Peugeot while over the drink drive limit, failure to provide a breath test and dangerous driving of the Renault.

He had a previous conviction for drink driving in 2008.

He was given a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months on condition he does 30 days’ rehabilitative activities and a 12-week curfew from 12pm to 8am every night and banned from driving for 29 months.

He must pay £1,968 compensation to his sister, £85 prosecution costs and a £115 statutory surcharge.

For him, Harry Bayman said he had lost his grandfather in Spring 2018 and his marriage had broken down in September 2018. He had sought psychiatric, counselling and medical help.

He had been sufficiently aware of what he was doing to stop at a red traffic light when he was driving the Renault.

Mr Butterworth said the Renault had had to be written off and the insurance company refused to pay out because Howard had refused to take a breath test.