A MAN who was placed in a coma after being involved in a crash in which he was thrown from a car was unable to appear at court for driving offences as he is still in hospital.

Curtis Constantine, aged 23, appeared earlier this year at Bolton Magistrates’ Court.

He pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified from holding a licence, driving when the proportion of a controlled drug in his blood exceeded the legal limit and also driving without insurance.

The offences, which do not relate to the crash in which he was seriously injured, were committed in Pemberton Road, Astley Bridge, on December 2 last year.

He also admitted breaching a suspended sentence.

Constantine admitted driving when the proportion of Benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine, in his blood exceeded the specific limit.

Following a hearing on March 7, he was committed to crown court for sentencing.

However, on April 7, Constantine was involved in a crash.

His black Ford Fiesta smashed head-on into a minibus before hitting another car.

Two women in the other car, a Renault Clio, suffered minor injuries in the crash in Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, which took place shortly after 9pm

The crash left Constantine, of Darwen Road, in a coma in hospital from which he has only just awoken.

He is believed to have been thrown through the car passenger window, and suffered head injuries and a shattered elbow.

He was then placed in a medically induced coma which he was brought out of around three weeks later.

His family said he was sitting up in bed and also out in the gardens at Salford Royal Hospital, where he was admitted, enjoying the sunshine.

Constantine was due to be sentenced yesterday but did not appear at court as he is still in hospital.

The case was adjourned.

Constantine is now scheduled to appear in court next month.