VIDEO: Scrappers TV star Lewis O'Boyle jailed after injuring pensioner in high speed crash

Lewis O'Boyle became known to viewers as a "lovable rogue", but Bolton Crown Court heard how he took cocaine and ploughed through a red light at speed into 79-year-old James Crowder's car.

As he was sentenced to 27 months in prison, Metro Salvage boss Terry Walker, who had taken him under his wing, said O'Boyle has let him down as well as his colleagues, family and friends.

"We tried our best but we tried in vain. We failed as far as he was concerned," said Mr Walker.

"He has no regard for his friends and family."

O'Boyle, of Shackerley Road, Atherton, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while banned, failing to stop after an accident and having no insurance.

Simon Barrett, prosecuting, told the court how Mr Crowder was turning right in his Vauxhall Astra from Bentley Street into Bolton Road, Farnworth, just before noon on April 10.

But O'Boyle, who was driving a friend's VW Golf along Bolton Road towards Farnworth, shot through the junction more than five seconds after the traffic light had turned to red and struck the Astra at 60mph, sending it spinning.

A police collision investigator found that he had been travelling at 60mph approaching the junction and was 154 metres from it when the traffic light turned to red. It was showing red for 5.75 seconds before O'Boyle entered the junction.

Mr Crowder suffered extensive fractures to his skull, a broken sternum and rib and a bleed on the brain.

He spent 13 days in hospital during which he also contracted pneumonia and, having cared for himself, now suffers dizziness, memory problems and is unable to leave his home on his own.

"He feels like he has lost his independence," said Mr Barrett.

After the crash on the road, which has a 30mph speed restriction, O'Boyle and his passenger ran off before he was persuaded to hand himself into police four hours later.

O'Boyle, aged 23, told officers: "I know I'm going to get done for this and I should."

A blood sample taken at hospital showed he had taken cocaine and had 387g per litre of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of the drug, in his system. The legal limit for driving is 50mg.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Timothy Clayson, heard how, in November, 2013 O'Boyle had been convicted of dangerous driving on a motorbike and banned from holding a licence for 12 months.

He was ordered to take an extended retest afterwards in order to obtain a licence, but never did.

Mark Friend, defending, said that, despite having no licence, O'Boyle had agreed to check out the Golf for a friend, who was wanting to sell it.

He stressed that there is no evidence that O'Boyle had been driving dangerously for a long period of time or that he had been racing.

"He recognises the folly of his behaviour on that day and the illegality of it," said Mr Friend, who added that O'Boyle has been diagnosed with a ADHD and he is "likely to have an autistic spectrum disorder".

"He comes from a thoroughly decent, socially responsible family," said Mr Friend, who appealed to Judge Clayson not to impose a prison sentence.

"His maturity levels do not match his chronological age," he added.

But Judge Clayson told O'Boyle: "Only a custodial sentence is appropriate."

The defendant was also banned from holding a driving licence for six years and one and a half months.

As he was led away O'Boyle waved to his family in the public gallery.

But speaking after the sentencing his former boss Mr Walker, said he does not believe the prison sentence is long enough.

"We feel let down by him but he won't care about that in the slightest," said Mr Walker. "He just uses people to his own ends."

Four years ago 19-year-old O'Boyle become one of the stars of the hit fly-on-the-wall documentary Scrappers, based at Metro Salvage in Bolton.

Mr Walker had taken the hapless employee, who left school aged 14 with no qualifications, under his wing and tried to mentor him, despite him frequently getting into trouble.

When O'Boyle was charged with his latest offence Mr Walker even went to the magistrates' court to support him, but the relationship soon turned sour, with Mr Walker claiming O'Boyle was breaking his curfew conditions. In May he was sacked.

"He has no regard for his friends and family," said Mr Walker.

"We all went to court and said we would be there for him. That trust was invaded straight away."

He added that it came as "no surprise" that O'Boyle has been imprisoned for dangerous driving.

"Let's hope it does him some good," he said.