A MAN whose driving had previously left a friend brain-damaged drove so fast near his ex-girlfriend he almost hit her, York Crown Court heard.

The woman had to leap out of the path of Jamie Middleton’s car in the car park where she was talking to friends, said Dan Cordey, prosecuting.

He had already got an extendible wrench out of his car boot and waved it round before shouting at her that she “had ruined his life”.

The 20-year-old drove off, but returned to the car park and executed a 360 degree handbrake turn before driving close to her in an intimidating manner.

In 2015, Middleton was jailed for dangerous driving that left a friend brain damaged and for fleeing police at more than twice the speed limit.

Sentencing him for the car park incident, the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris told Middleton he was fortunate he hadn’t injured anyone in his latest display of bad driving.

“Cars are lethal weapons,” he said. “They are very, very dangerous in my view.”

Middleton, of Lime Tree Lane Gardens, Goole, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and a public order offence committed in the Three Lakes retail centre car park in Selby on the night of February 19.

He was jailed for 14 months, banned from driving for three years and seven months and ordered to take an extended driving test before driving alone again.

He was also banned from contacting the woman or going near her under a restraining order.

For Middleton, Steven Garth said he had regretted the car park incident. He had never intended to hit the woman.

He had very strong feelings for her and hadn’t been able to cope when their relationship ended.