A ROSSENDALE driver who left a woman in a critical condition after smashing into her car has been jailed.

James Casey fled the scene of the crash in Chorley New Road, Heaton, near Bolton, on June 10 after hitting Alexandra Thorley’s Renault Picasso.

At the time he was on licence, having been released from prison last year after serving a sentence for burglary and vehicle taking.

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Bolton magistrates heard how the 25-year-old, of Bacup, had lied to his girlfriend about having a driving licence and she lent him her Audi TT car.

Casey was said to have been driving the sports car “at speed” at 10.45pm when it crashed into Ms Thorley’s car as it emerged from Park Road, causing both vehicles to spin 180 degrees. The Audi then spun out of control and smashed into some scaffolding — and Casey ran off.

Prosecuting, Steve Woodman said: “Ms Thorley suffered five broken ribs, a broken right leg and a broken shoulder blade and she had blood in her lungs.

“Ms Thorley said she recalled firefighters climbing into her vehicle to reassure her while their colleagues cut the roof off.”

She was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital before being transferred to a specialist critical care ward at Salford Royal Hospital and was kept in hospital for nine days before being allowed home.

Casey admitted driving without due care and attention, without a licence or insurance and failing to stop after an accident.

Defending Casey, Adam Whittaker said: “There is some uncertainty over whose fault the collision was. My client has taken out a loan to pay his girlfriend back for the damage to her car. She is still with him and is in court to support him.

“He is expecting civil proceedings in relation to Ms Thorley’s injuries and the damage to her vehicle.”

The court heard how Casey has previous convictions for driving while disqualified, aggravated vehicle taking, burglary and vehicle theft and that he committed the latest offences while on licence.

He also has previous convictions for breaching a restraining order by creating a fake Facebook account to contact his ex-partner and for conning another girlfriend out of a £14,000 BMW — selling it for £1,500 without her consent.

Jailing Casey for 18 weeks, Chairman of the Bench Stuart Wilson said: “We are sending you to custody because of the seriousness of this woman’s injuries and the fact that you left the scene.”

Casey who had earlier sobbed as details of Ms Thorley’s injuries were read out, unleashed a foul-mouth tirade at magistrates as he was taken to the cells.

He was banned from driving for 18 months.