Man who broke his ribs, punctured his lung and was put in a coma is sentenced for dangerous driving in Leeds

Edward Darley, who was put into an induced coma and only fit enough to be interviewed by police two months after the incident, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Friday for dangerous driving and three other motoring offences.

The court heard that on July 26 last year, Darley, of All Saints Road, Woodlesford was driving along the ring road in Leeds in his Toyota car when he hit a Ford car travelling in the same direction as they negotiated a roundabout.

Darley, who was said to be "driving erratically" by Mr Bashire Ahmed acting for the prosecution, slowed down and the Ford driver expected Darley to stop and swap details. However, Darley sped off and was followed for a short while by the Ford occupants who also called the police.

However, Darley, now 40, lost control of the car which hit a kerb and flipped into the air, rotated and spun and eventually landed, after hitting several houses, in the garden of a property on Wortley Road.

Darley was seriously injured and had to undergo "multiple operations" after suffering broken ribs, punctured lungs and damage to his liver and kidneys and was placed in a coma.

At an earlier hearing he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, having no insurance, failing to stop after an accident and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence as he was only a provisional holder.

He was given a two year prison sentence, suspended for two years, ten days of rehabilitation activity, 200 hours of unpaid work, banned from driving for two years and ordered to pay compensation to the house-holders.

The court heard victim impact statements from residents who said they were nervous about loud bangs, unable to spend time in their gardens, had lost out financially and daren't let their children play in the gardens.

Marcus Waite, mitigating, said: "The emotional impact for him, his family and his children has been quite significant but that is a situation of his own making."

Judge Mr Recorder Sam Green said: "I have to say from the outset, this is a disgraceful piece of driving and extremely dangerous. You were involved in a minor collision and what you should have done was stop at that point."