Dangerous driver jailed again after leaving man with traumatic brain injury

WATCH: "I thought you were somebody else." | Driver rams innocent bystander HOURS after prison release

A dangerous driver who left a man with a traumatic brain injury just hours after being released from prison is back behind bars.

Hugh Raymond Holmes was previously jailed for crashing a stolen car on a bridge of the A1(M) and leaving his passenger with critical injuries in 2022.

He was released from prison just six days before Christmas on December 19 last year, however that same afternoon he got into a fight in Faraday Street, Ferryhill.

During the incident, which involved several men and women, the 35-year-old decided to drive a car at a man he had been fighting with.

The man jumped out of the way and instead Holmes hit an innocent resident who had come out to try to dissolve the incident.

The victim suffered a traumatic brain injury, multiple facial fractures and a broken leg requiring surgical screws.

He spent months in hospital and is still undergoing treatment.

The emergency services raced to the scene and arrested Holmes, who, despite CCTV evidence, denied he had been involved.

He was charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm with intent, inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent, disqualified driving, driving with no insurance and refusing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.

Holmes, of Spennymoor, pleaded guilty to all charges except causing grievous bodily harm and following a two-day trial at Durham Crown Court last week, was found guilty in just 20 minutes by the jury.

He was jailed for 18 years and banned from driving for 15 years.

DC Lauren Howe, who led the investigation, said: “Holmes is a despicable criminal who clearly hadn’t learnt any lessons from his previous crime which he had just been released from prison for.

“He left the victim with critical injuries just before Christmas and they continue to have a huge impact on him and his family.

“However, thanks to the bravery of the victim and the whole community pulling together, we were able to gather overwhelming evidence to charge Holmes and put him back before the court.

“We hope putting Holmes back behind bars for a significant amount of time will bring some comfort to the victim who, in his own words, continues to ‘stand tall’.”