A mother who downed a bottle of vodka and took cocaine before crashing into a car and causing serious injuries has been jailed for just over two years.

Drug addict Samantha Windeatt had never held a full driving licence when her Citroen Xsara careered across a carriageway and smashed into an oncoming Suzuki car, injuring sisters Eden-Taylor and Ruby Wilkinson.

A Citroen Picasso then hit the Suzuki driven by Adil Rashid in the pile-up in Wood Street, Gillingham, on June 30 last year.

Eden-Taylor, then a 19-year-old university student, was the most seriously injured, suffering a fractured spine and having to wear a brace for 10 weeks.

Windeatt, of Mills Terrace, Chatham, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and having no insurance and driving licence when she appeared at Maidstone Crown Court.

Her not guilty plea to failing to provide a specimen was accepted.

She was banned from driving for three years and four months.

Prosecutor Martin Yale said Windeatt, 37, drove erratically and looked like she had passed out at the wheel.

"She was so intoxicated she couldn' provide a specimen of breath and her veins were so damaged from heroin abuse she couldn't give a specimen of blood" - Martin Yale

“Ruby Wilkinson saw the defendant outside the car and her initial reaction was that she was drunk and looked like she was going to fall over,” he said.

“She looked like she did not even realise she had crashed into a car.”

As well as a fractured spine, Eden-Taylor injured her hips and suffered whiplash.

She was treated at King’s College Hospital in London before being transferred to Medway Hospital.

Keen runner Ruby, who was driving the car, was left with back and neck pain. Both sisters have suffered flashbacks and continuing trauma.

Mr Rashid suffered whiplash and bruising to his chest and ribs. He was self-employed and lost income as a result of his injuries.

Mr Yale said when police spoke to Windeatt she could not hold a conversation or give her date of birth.

“She was so intoxicated she could not provide a specimen of breath and her veins were so damaged from heroin abuse that she could not give a specimen of blood,” he added.

Windeatt told police she had drunk a bottle of vodka and taken two “digs” of heroin before going out in the car.

She had 20 previous court appearances for 47 offences, possessing heroin, assault, affray, theft and driving while disqualified.

Judge Adele Williams said Eden-Taylor Wilkinson’s victim statement made it plain the trauma she suffered and she had ongoing physical and psychological problems.

“Plainly, your life was out of control at this stage,” she said.

“You have a long-standing Class A drug habit and your driving was appalling.

“You should have not been anywhere near a car. You had no driving licence and drove while affected by heroin and alcohol.

“As a result, you have caused substantial problems, distress and injury to a young woman and two other victims.”