Drink-driver caused 'horrific carnage' at Leeds pub after mowing down woman celebrating her birthday
A driver high on drink and drugs caused “horrific carnage” by driving into a crowd people outside a Leeds pub after he was refused entry, hitting a woman celebrating her birthday.
Asa Tuohey ploughed into the woman carrying her birthday cake, crushing her against a wall and causing her “life-shattering” injuries, as well as striking another man who luckily escaped with minor injuries.
Tuohey, 27, had only been banned from the road for drink driving weeks before. Shocking footage showed that he even reversed before trying to hit the stricken pair again.
Tuohey, of Langbar Green, Swarcliffe, was initially charged with two counts of attempted murder, which he denied.
He later admitted two counts of Section 18 GBH with intent that were accepted by the Crown, along with motoring offences including dangerous driving and driving while banned.
He was jailed for a total of 20 years today years at Leeds Crown Court and a deemed a danger to the public.
Judge Simon Phillips KC told him: “The utter devastation you have brought to the life of that woman is nothing short of catastrophic.
“It was entirely unprovoked, callous and dangerous. You caused horrific carnage.”
The court heard that Tuohey had been at a wake at a nearby pub, but then he drove others in a Toyota Rav 4 to the Cock Beck pub in Manston, shortly before midnight on December 6 last year.
The group was refused entry. Footage screened to the court showed Tuohey aggressively and erratically driving forwards and backwards outside the Pandas Way pub, even striking a post box at one point.
He then turned around and drove at a group, striking the man and a picnic bench, before hitting the woman who was celebrating her 57th birthday and carrying her cake.
He then drove further forward, pinning her against the wall, before reversing slightly and then trying to accelerate forward again, but his front wheels could be seen spinning.
Tuohey then reversed and drove away at speed.
Around 20 minutes later CCTV picked him up driving erratically along York Road and ploughing into a taxi waiting to turn onto Selby Road. The Rav 4 then rolled onto its roof.
Prosecutor Andrew Stranex said Tuohey was left with a double skull fracture and broken ribs and shoulder. He was over twice the drink-driving limit and had cocaine, morphine and cannabis in his system.
However, the female victim from outside the pub spent seven weeks in hospital with a multiple fractures to her back, a break at the base of her spine, bruising to both lungs, three broken ribs and serious damage to her liver. She later had to have half of her liver removed.
Tuohey has 13 previous convictions for 23 offences, and had only been banned from driving in November last year for drink driving.
Mitigating, Soheil Khan said Tuohey recognised his behaviour that night was “beyond stupid” and wished that he could “turn the clock back”.
He said Tuohey added that he “deserved” to be in court but did not go out that night to cause harm.
Judge Phillips jailed Tuohey for 17 years, with a three-year extended licence period. He also banned from driving for more than 19 years.