A CARLISLE motorist who used his car as a weapon to inflict horrific injuries on another man has been jailed.

Daniel English, 31, was behind the wheel of his Audi A4 when he deliberately drove it into his victim, catapulting him into the air. Darren Read suffered horrifying injuries.

As he lay seriously injured in the street, English drove away from the scene.

Mr Read was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle in a critical condition, with injuries including multiple facial fractures.

In a statement, he later spoke of suffering nightmares almost every night as a result of the attack. At Carlisle Crown Court, English, of Stonegarth, Carlisle, who had admitted intentionally causing grievous bodily harm to his victim, was jailed for six years and 10 months.

The violence erupted in Ullswater Road, Carlisle, on January 13 and resulted from a simmering "feud" between English and Mr Read, the court heard.

After the attack, English's partner Claire Porter, 33, of Greta Avenue, Carlisle, helped him escape, booking a hotel for them in Keswick.

But she was stopped by police and revealed where English was.

He later handed himself in.

Porter was sentenced alongside English. She admitted assisting an offender and was fined £500.

English was given a driving ban which will last for seven years and five months.

He and Porter were also banned from Ullswater Road or making any contact with Mr Read or his partner.

In his statement, Mr Read said: “This assault has had an impact on me physically and mentally. It has changed me completely.

“Physically, I am never out of pain.

“Mentally it is as hard for me as it is physically. I have nightmares almost every night.

“I see myself being hit by the car over and over again and flying through the air, as if from the eyes of someone else.

“I know that I am going to be affected by this for the rest of my life.”

Detective Constable Chris Burton, who oversaw the case, said: “What English did that day has had a massive impact on his victim and the victim’s family.

“He may not have used a conventional weapon to carry out this attack but a car is a potentially lethal weapon in the hands of someone who drives it in this way.

“We welcome the sentence handed out today.”