A DANGEROUS driver has been jailed after crashing into a wall of a Newport hairdresser while under the influence of drugs.

Colin Niblett, aged 36, of no fixed abode, appeared at Newport Crown Court charged with driving a motor vehicle dangerously and two charges relating to driving whilst under the influence of drugs.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

The court heard on April 30 he drove a Vauxhall Astra into the wall of the Hair Junction, Western Valley Road, in Rogerstone.

Jason Howells, prosecuting, said the defendant was seen driving the car on the wrong side of the road; swerving before hitting the wall outside the salon which caused £580 of damage. He said the defendant then reversed the car to free it from the wall and hit a Suzuki Swift with 'some force.'

Mr Howells said the defendant reversed again and pulled forward to try to get away but couldn't do so as there was 'too much damage' to the car as it was leaking fluids.

Mr Howells said Niblett was 'unconscious' and seen slumped at the wheel. An ambulance was called but the court heard Niblett was aggressive and argumentative with the paramedics.

He was deemed fit and was breathalysed for drugs at the roadside. On searching the car, officers found an empty syringe.

The court heard, a cocaine breakdown product and morphine were found in the defendant's urine.

Niblett committed these offences while on bail for an offence of driving whilst unfit through drugs after officers stopped him on March 30, of this year, in Caerphilly. He was seen swerving in his car in front of them and a blood sample was taken which found he had 85mg of amphetamine in 100ml of blood along with 40mg of morphine and a small amount of codeine.

Stephen Thomas, defending, said Niblett had a history of substance misuse but is using his time in custody to get clean. He said: "This was not a prolonged period of dangerous driving; this was not a chase - it was not one of those sorts of cases."

The court heard Niblett has 18 previous convictions for 61 offences and is currently serving a two-and-a-half-year prison term for robbery and possession of heroin.

Recorder Peter Rouch QC sentenced Niblett to 13 months imprisonment for the three offences which will run concurrently with his current jail term.

He said: "You appear before the courts for driving offences yet again. You have a prolific history of committing driving offences.

"You must appreciate if you continue to do so following your release from prison you will receive more and longer sentence for these sort of offences."

Niblett was also disqualified from driving for three years.