A DISQUALIFIED driver who was drink and drug driving four days after he was banned from the roads has escaped a prison sentence.

Daniel Peter Webster, 31, "was very lucky to survive" when he crashed a car on Beckfield Lane, Acomb, on October 29, York magistrates heard.

Four days earlier, on October 25, he had been banned from driving for 20 months for drink driving at more than twice the drink drive limit.

Melanie Ibbotson, prosecuting, said tests taken after the crash revealed Webster had 114 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood and was over the cocaine limit. He also had cocaine breakdown products in his blood.

Webster, of Beaconsfield Street, Acomb, pleaded guilty to careless driving, drink driving, driving whilst disqualified, driving without insurance and two charges of drug driving, all committed on October 29.

Magistrates told him: “You could reasonably expect to go to prison. We have had to consider this very, very carefully.”

Then they announced they were giving him a community order of two years as a direct alternative to prison.

Webster must do 200 hours’ unpaid work and 40 days’ rehabilitative activities. He must also pay £85 prosecution costs and an £85 statutory surcharge.

For him, Keith Whitehouse said: “There is no doubt he was very lucky to survive this accident.”

Webster had been a danger to other road users including pedestrians.

At the time Webster “had been in a very dark place” and was mourning the loss of a “number of close relatives”.

Since then he had turned his life around. He was taking a college course and had work ready for him at the conclusion.

“If he goes into custody, he will lose all that,” said the defence solicitor.

He had mental health issues which he had to work through, which he was doing, but it would take a long time.