A CWMBRAN driver who ran over a man’s leg while on licence for dealing class A drugs avoided jail after suffering an accident which left him “severely disabled”.

Judge Neil Bidder, at Cardiff Crown Court, did not imprison Ashley Zennadi, 24, of Two Locks Road, because, just days after the incident, he fell off a dirt bike and damaged his spinal cord.

Prosecutor David Pugh said Zennadi, who admitted dangerous driving, was in the car park outside the Oasis Leisure Centre shortly before midnight on June 22, 2013. He was driving in circles, spinning his BMW M3.

Michael Harvey walked across the car park after drinking and witnesses saw him put his head through the passenger window to compliment Zennadi on his car. Zennadi spun, knocking his victim over and the car continued to travel round and went over his ankle, said Mr Pugh. The defendant phoned police to say he was in an accident and was arrested. In a victim impact statement Mr Harvey, a keen rugby player, said he had lost hundreds of pounds in wages through being unable to work with a broken heel bone, and his girlfriend, mother and grandmother had to care for him. Zennadi was on licence after being given a 30-month prison term of imprisonment for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. He is now “severely disabled” after the bike accident, arriving at court in a wheelchair. Judge Bidder told him: “The injury to your lower leg is very serious, the fractures have not united. You are severely disabled.” He was given a suspended 12-month jail sentence, a supervision order for two years, must pay £1,500 in compensation, £100 victim surcharge and banned from driving for four years.