Speeding North Shields dad seriously injured young twins after crashing into their car in Priory Road, Jarrow

Scott Atkinson had just finished a 12-hour shift at one of his two jobs and was rushing home to see his family before bedtime when he crashed his Mercedes C220 into a Vauxhall Astra which had the young victims in the back.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Atkinson had been travelling at around 59mph on the 30mph Priory Road in Jarrow, South Tyneside, when the smash happened in October 2022.

Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said the twins, who were in booster seats in the back of the car being driven by their mum, both ended up in hospital.

Mr Wardlaw said the little boy was removed from the car unconcious and the little girl, who was trapped in the vehicle due to the damage, had to be helped out by a passing stranger.

The boy twin had a fractured eye socket and a laceration to his eyelid. His sister had a fractured pelvis and hand, a laceration to her liver as well as cuts and bruises.

Their mum said in an impact statement their whole lives have changed since the smash and she went through the "horrific" fear that her children were dead at the scene, which continues to haunt her.

Atkinson, 30, of Collingwood Road, North Shields, North Tyneside, admitted two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Judge Edward Bindloss jailed him for 29 months, with a four-year driving ban after his release.

The judge said: "You were driving home at 6pm in the evening. The evidence before me suggests you were deprived of sleep. You told the probation officer and one of your references makes reference to this that you at the time were working very hard to pay off some debts, you had two jobs, at Nissan and an Amazon delivery driver at weekends.

"You told the probation officer that prior to this you had been working for 12 hours and were rushing to get back to see your daughter before she went to bed at 7pm.

"The probation officer suggests possibly a lack of sleep or exhaustion has played a role in this offending behaviour and I agree with that."

Judge Bindloss said as well as travelling at almost twice the speed limit, Atkinson's manner of driving was inappropriate for the damp and dark conditions that early evening.

The court heard Atkinson has old convictions for drunkenness and interfering with a motor vehicle but the judge accepted he is now a "good family man and hard worker".

Jessica Slaughter, defending, handed in references to Atkinson's good character and read an extract from a letter written by him, which said: "I fully acknowledge I was driving faster than I should have been and I deeply regret my actions and the consequences they have had.

"I appreciate children were injured and if I could turn back time I would."

Atkinson said as a father himself he appreciates the impact the injuries would have had on the children and their family.