A man has been given a ten-year extended jail sentence with a six and a half year custodial term after sending a roofer somersaulting into the road by deliberately driving at him outside a pub.

Brave James Gladwin pushed his father out of the way as Martin Bland’s red BMW headed at him in West Park Street, Brighouse, on the evening of June 24, 2019.

Mr Gladwin, 28, was then struck by the car after it swerved towards him, Bradford Crown Court heard today. He rolled over the bonnet, somersaulted in the air and landed in the road.

He described the BMW revving and “flying” towards his father, prosecutor Richard Holland said.

Its windscreen was already smashed and its bodywork damaged after a disturbance in the street that did not involve Mr Gladwin or his father, the court was told.

Bland, 31, of Lockbridge Way, Milnsbridge, Huddersfield, pleaded guilty to unlawfully and maliciously causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Mr Holland told the court that Mr Gladwin was out for a drink at the Wetherspoons pub in Brighouse with his father after work.

During the evening, he became aware of an incident outside the pub when Bland was “kicking off” and in a scrap with someone.

Bland then got into his red BMW and was driving at people near the pub gate.

Mr Gladwin saw his father standing near the beer garden and Bland’s car “flying” towards him. He screamed at him to get out of the way and pushed him to safety.

Mr Gladwin was hit by the car when it deliberately swerved at him.

He heard someone say: “He’s reversing” and he was dragged out of the way by people at the scene.

Mr Gladwin said: “Don’t let me die,” because of his young son, the court was told.

A group of males threw pint glasses at the BMW and it reversed out of sight. Some people said it was doing 120mph when it left the scene, the court heard.

Mr Gladwin sustained a fractured lower spine, a fractured hip and a fractured nasal bone. He was still on crutches on August 9, 2019.

In his victim personal statement he said: “I feel like I’ve been robbed of my career.”

He had crippling back pain two years’ later and was unable to work as a roofer.

Bland was over the drink-drive limit when he was arrested at his home later that night.

He said he could believe he’d hit someone.

His barrister, Jeremy Barton, said he had a worrying background of mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

Bland had been assaulted in the past and he panicked because he was fearful that he was under attack from people at the scene.

He had been in therapy since the offence and he was taking medication to improve his mental health.

He was very remorseful and in no way wanted to belittle the injuries that Mr Gladwin had suffered.

Recorder Taryn Turner said: “I have no doubt in concluding that the car was used as a highly dangerous weapon in this case.”

Bland was over the drink-drive limit when he was arrested, Mr Gladwin’s father was present and saw what happened to his son, and Bland accepted that he was the first to use violence that night.

“You know just what a wicked offence this was,” Recorder Turner told him.

Bland could have killed Mr Gladwin or his father.

She accepted that he had serious mental health problems from unresolved trauma dating from his childhood.

Recorder Turner found Bland to be a dangerous offender at risk of causing serious harm to members of the public.

He was jailed for six and a half years, with a three and a half year licence period, making an extended sentence of ten years.

He was banned from driving for six years and four months.