A MAN has admitted starting a scuffle which left a mother critically injured with bleeds on the brain.

Dale Hart was due to stand trial at Bolton Crown Court yesterday accused of causing racially aggravated grievous bodily harm to the woman and racially aggravated assault of the woman's teenage son.

The court heard how the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffers from a disease which affects her kidneys, stops her blood clotting in the usual way and makes her more susceptible to bleeding.

The woman and her three children were walking along Padbury Way on June 3 and Hart was heading along the pavement in the opposite direction.

Judge Martin Walsh was told how 29-year-old Hart believed the woman's son had bumped into the pram being pushed by his partner and the court was shown CCTV, taken from a nearby bus, of the defendant aggressively confronting the boy. Hart swung a punch at the teenager, and made racially insulting remarks, as the mother and the rest of her family tried to intervene.

A scuffle ensued and, shortly afterwards, the woman collapsed with two subdural haematomas, bleeds on the brain, which needed surgery.

After discussions between the prosecution and defence Hart, of Grantchester Way, Breightmet ,pleaded guilty to affray and racially aggravated assault of the boy.

Colin Buckle, prosecuting, said: "It cannot be said with any degree of certainty when, during the incident, that the subdural haematoma began." But he added that Hart's behaviour had started the incident.

Rosalind Scott-Bell, defending, said: "He is a man who has previous convictions, albeit non for the last 10 years. It is out of character for him now to behave in such a way. Something quite clearly went wrong that day."

Judge Walsh adjourned sentencing until Friday to allow pre-sentence reports to be prepared on Hart. "The fact that I am asking for a report and extending his bail is no indication of the sentence," he added.