A SPEEDING hit-and-run driver who knocked down a pedestrian and left him with serious brain injuries was desperate to go to the toilet, a court was told.

Martyn Jones, whose four-year-old son was with him in the car, was jailed yesterday for three years after admitting leaving taxi driver Tekie Yamani with serious brain injuries, fractured ribs and memory loss.

Jones had soiled himself and was being chased by two officers in a police van, who had noticed his erratic driving as he left a nearby McDonald’s restaurant.

The 40-year-old drove along Wigan Road in Deane at 60mph, overtaking a bus, before crashing into the father-of-three.

Katy Appleton, defending, told Bolton Crown Court that Jones had been diagnosed with a bowel condition and had a colostomy bag.

She said: “He had visited his daughter and was in a distressed state. He was desperate to go to the toilet and soiled himself, which led to the very unfortunate events.”

His victim, Mr Yamani, originally from Eritrea, was walking to a shop to buy a phone card when he was hit by the car, at about midday on July 18.

At the time of the crash, witnesses said the 37-year-old was thrown into the air and landed up to 50 feet further along the road.

Jones claimed to police he was unaware that he had hit a person, instead thinking someone had hit his car with a metal bar in an attempted carjacking.

But he drove his blue Vauxhall Astra to a friend's house in Leigh and asked him to keep the vehicle, with the damaged windscreen covered up.


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The court heard that Jones’ speed was about twice the legal limit and he was seen weaving in and out of traffic and overtaking vehicles.

John Hatton, who was driving the bus Jones sped past, said it was “the worst driving” he had ever seen in his career.

Mr Yamani suffered a serious brain injury and post-traumatic amnesia, the court heard.

He said he had memory loss and felt like he had been in a coma for the three weeks after the accident.

CCTV footage which captured the horrifying moment Mr Yamani was struck was played to the court.

Jones, of Cameron Street, Leigh, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop.

The court heard he had 17 previous convictions.

Recorder Stuart Driver said: “This was a prolonged and deliberate case of serious bad driving. Your victim was a pedestrian and a vulnerable road user.

“You did all this while you had your vulnerable four-year-old son in the car with you.”