Watch driver film herself inhaling laughing gas before crash which left passengers with horrendous injuries

This is the shocking moment a driver used a mobile phone to film herself inhaling laughing gas from a balloon in her moving car - seconds before she caused a horror crash.

Georgia Hunter's terrified backseat passenger asked her to stop and wanted to get out before he suffered a fractured skull, spine, eye socket, breastbone, bleeding on the brain and broken teeth in the late night smash on a dark road.

The teenage front seat passenger was left with a broken pelvis, damage to her sciatic nerve and fears her injuries may prevent her from having children in future.

A third passenger, who did not suffer serious injury, told police: "I'm amazed I survived."

Newcastle Crown Court heard Hunter was within the limit of alcohol despite drinking Prosecco and beer that night but had high levels of a breakdown product of cocaine in her system, that put her seven times the legal amount.

The 22-year-old, of Burns Avenue, Boldon, admitted two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and one of drug driving and has now been jailed for two years with a four year road ban.

Hunter, who also suffered "horrific" injuries in the smash, was told by Judge Stephen Earl her behaviour was "catastrophically stupid" and it is "absolutely amazing" that nobody died.

Judge Earl said: "It is one of the worst non-fatal dangerous driving cases I have seen. It was an accident that happened, that was waiting to happen.

"One passenger's description is you were driving erratically, too fast on an unlit, narrow road, weaving and inhaling laughing gas from balloons and we know that's true because I have seen you, you filmed it on your mobile phone."

Judge Earl said he had considered whether the jail term could be suspended but said the offending was "so egregious, so awful, so near the mark of fatality likelihood" that only an immediate prison sentence was appropriate.

The court heard the crash, which left Hunter's Citroen on its roof in a hedge, happened in Gateshead, in June last year.

Prosecutor Susannah Proctor told the court: "Seven videos from her mobile phone showed her videoing herself as she drove along inhaling laughing gas from the balloon.

"She was shouting 'I can't even drive' while the man in the rear was asking her to stop."

One of the shocking videos found on the handset was played in court.

Miss Proctor said: "The video was seconds before impact.

"A number of other videos had been taken on other days."

The court heard Hunter had collected her front seat passenger at around 5pm on June 9 last year and they went to the Lakeside pub in Jarrow, where they bought alcoholic drinks and sat in the beer garden but left after an argument with a group of females.

Hunter then drove them to the Soho Tavern in Gateshead, where they met with two males. They stayed there until it closed although the females had left for around half an hour to buy laughing gas.

The court heard the group had then planned to go to a workingmen's club but it was closed and they travelled in the Citroen along Banesley Lane in the town.

Miss Proctor added: "The male passenger described her driving erratically, driving too fast for the road.

"The defendant, during the journey, was inhaling laughing gas from the balloons as she drove.

"He knew of the affect it would have on her and requested to get out of the vehicle. He told the defendant he wanted to get out.

"She replied 'I'm a good driver' before pulling away at speed.

"He said she wasn't in control, he recalls double checking his seat belt."

The court heard Hunter was seen "wandering around, shouting and screaming" after the crash.

The seriously injured male backseat passenger said in an impact statement he had to leave his work as a supermarket warehouseman because of his injuries, which will also affect future employment prospects.

He added: "I've had no contact from Georgia Hunter who was the driver that night. Due to her actions my life has been turned upside down."

The female said in an impact statement made last year she had to leave her job at a soft play centre, has been left scarred, struggled to stand and changed from being outgoing and sociable to isolated.

She added: "I may not be able to have children due to my pelvis. Doctors at the moment can't say for sure if I will be able to give birth."

She did not provide an updated statement about her condition.

The other male passenger, who was not seriously injured, said: "I was genuinely in fear for my life. I'm amazed I survived. It's an event I will never forget."

Fiona Lamb, defending, said Hunter works at a doctors' surgery, has a supportive family and mental health problems.

Miss Lamb said Hunter has genuine remorse for what happened and has scars that will remind her of what she did.

She added that Hunter suffered "horrific injury", that part of the back of her head was "ripped off" and she had a bad injury "worryingly close" to her eye.

Miss Lamb said: "When she looks in the mirror she will be reminded of it and I imagine that will be the position in decades time.

"She has a scar across her face reminding her of what she did and what happened."

Miss Lamb said Hunter has stayed away from illicit substances and reduced her drinking since the crash and added: "I don't think she goes as wild as she used to and has very much calmed down."