A DRIVER knocked down and nearly killed a pedestrian within hours of walking out of court with a ban from the roads.

The victim spent 26 days in hospital, has had four operations to rebuild his shattered leg, and may need more surgery.

He was warned he might have to have the limb amputated, is having physiotherapy and needs his wife's help for simple tasks.

The Northern Echo: DEVASTATED: The leg of the victim after the collision

Disqualified driver Dale Curtis is now behind bars for what a judge said was "wanton and deliberate" flouting of the law.

Teesside Crown Court heard how garage worker Curtis had taken cocaine before he mowed down the man in Darlington on May 12.

Earlier that day, the 22-year-old had appeared before magistrates for drug-driving and was banned from the roads for a year.

He walked straight out of the court building and got into his BMW 316, and drove "like a lunatic" for the next few hours.

On Friday, was jailed for three-and-a-half years after he admitted a charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Judge Simon Phillips, QC, told him the 59-year-old pedestrian had his life "destroyed" by the "utterly avoidable" crash.

He said: "The impact was horrific. It is clear from the footage I've seen that this driving could have had a fatal outcome.

"Tragically, the after-effects of this offending will continue to be suffered by your victim long after you've been released."

The judge heard how Curtis joked on Facebook about a court appearance last month and predicted what his sentence would be.

When he was tested at the scene - near Mount Pleasant School in the Branksome area - he was three times over the drug limit.

Amrit Jandoo, mitigating, said Curtis had a troubled childhood, had battled addictions, but was remorseful for what happened.

He said Curtis had wanted to meet the victim and his wife as part of a restorative justice scheme, but his offer was rejected.

Judge Phillips said: "This court has heard that you showed a blatant disregard for the order of the magistrates in May.

"Having been told you were disqualified, you proceeded to drive to Darlington then to Low Coniscliffe and back to Darlington.

"You were seen to be still driving at 7pm - that was three-quarters of an hour before you lost control and struck your victim.

"The manner of your driving from 7pm onwards attracted the concern and attention of both pedestrian on-lookers and other motorists.

"You drove close to the rear of another vehicle and the passenger in that car said it was like a lunatic and intimidating.

"You avoided a collision with a taxi, mounted the kerb, over a grass verge, hit the boundary fence of the school and hit the pedestrian.

"He was thrown high into the air as a result of the speed. He struck his head on the windscreen and suffered very serious injuries.

"The CCTV footage shows the vehicle smash into the back of him at speed. He will have had no opportunity to take evasive action."

The court heard how Curtis had sped past the same junction five times in half-an-hour, and seemed to be doing handbrake turns.

Prosecutor Harry Hadfield said there were lots of children playing nearby as he drove around Eggleston View and Whitby Way.

Curtis appeared to lose control on Newton Lane, "swerved and slid" with screeching wheels, and "fish-tailed" as he failed to slow.

Mr Jandoo said Curtis had made a "disastrous miscalculation of speed" which resulted in what he called a "serious incident".

Curtis, of Meadowfield Road, Darlington, also admitted driving while disqualified, and over the limit. He was banned for five years.

Judge Phillips told him: "You were driving without regard for others, including your passenger who suffered a head injury.

"An accident might have seemed to have been inevitable. There could easily have been other pedestrians on the footpath.

"This accident was entirely avoidable. If you had heeded the order of the court, you would not have harmed this unsuspecting pedestrian.

"Having flouted the disqualification order in the most deliberate manner, your dangerous driving could have killed."