A road victim told a jury about the serious injuries he suffered when his allegedly drunk and speeding friend crashed.

Daniel Wilks claims he was riding pillion on a bike driven by Shawn Gibson when the accident happened in Southampton around 10.30 p.m. on April 13, 2008. Gibson denies causing the accident, and claims Mr. Wilks was driving at the time.

Giving evidence against Gibson at Supreme Court yesterday, Mr. Wilks, 27, said he can remember his friend speeding along South Road after they'd been drinking at the Southampton Rangers and Fairmont Southampton bars. "I remember tapping him on his shoulder and telling him to slow down and stop showing off. We were going really fast," he said.

Mr. Wilks estimated that along a straight stretch of road, the bike was going at "100 to 110k, maybe faster. I say this because I was fearing for my life at the time and that's why I was telling him to slow down".

Mr. Wilks told the court Gibson, 35, drank two rum and ginger ales at Rangers earlier that night while he consumed two vodka and ginger ales. Later, at the Fairmont, he said they had two more of the same drinks each, plus a shot of tequila each.

According to prosecutor Takiyah Burgess, Gibson was drunk as he rode East with Mr. Wilks on the back. She said the bike collided with the nearside kerb, skidding into the westbound lane where it collided with an oncoming car near the Rangers ground."I just remember waking up in hospital after that, three weeks later. I was in a chemically-induced coma," he explained.

He told the jury he broke his ribs, collar bone, spine and shin bone, shattered his thigh bone and suffered two punctured lungs. He caught pneumonia in hospital and had to have skin grafts. Mr. Wilks was allowed to sit down while giving his evidence because he was suffering discomfort. Gibson, from Southampton, denies causing grievous bodily harm by driving impaired, plus driving under the influence and failing to comply with a demand for a breath test.

Defence lawyer Larry Mussenden suggested during cross examination that it was Mr. Wilks who was riding Gibson's bike at the time not Gibson. Mr. Wilks denied this, telling the court: "No, I have never ridden that bike in my life."

Aimee Lyons, who was driving the car the bike collided with, told the court she called 911 after realising Mr. Wilks was trapped underneath. The operator asked to speak to Gibson who was attempting to stand up nearby. "When I drew close to Shawn Gibson to give him the phone to speak to 911, I did notice a strong smell of alcohol coming from Mr. Gibson," said Ms Lyons.

Police Constable Gary Alexander told the court he also noticed the strong smell of alcohol, plus that Gibson's eyes were glazed and his speech was slurred. Pc Alexander told the court Gibson identified himself as the owner of the motorcycle but said Mr. Wilks was riding it. He admitted they'd both been drinking.

Pc Alexander later spoke with Gibson who suffered a nose injury at the hospital around 1.25 a.m the following morning, April 14. "At that time he stated that he was indeed the rider," explained the officer, who arrested him on suspicion of impaired driving.

The case continues.