A car driven by former Bradford City footballer David Jackson ploughed into a pedestrian before demolishing several metres of railing, a Court heard yesterday.

Bradford Crown Court was told that the 63-year-old pedestrian was flung into the air, suffering fractures to one of his legs, and had to have stitches inserted in cuts to his head and hands.

Jackson, 45, of Heddon Grove, Bradford, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident.

He was made the subject of a 100-hour community punishment order and placed under a community rehabilitation order for 12 months.

He was also banned from driving for two years and will have to take an extended test before driving again.

Ken Green, prosecuting, said the incident happened on January 8 as Jackson was driving his Ford car in Bradford city centre. As he drove around the Jacob's Well roundabout and into Hall Ings the car veered towards the kerb and struck it.

The vehicle then rebounded and struck a Vauxhall car which had stopped at the traffic lights at the junction with Channing Way, as they were at red.

Jackson failed to stop and went through the lights at red, forcing the driver of a taxi to make an emergency stop to avoid a collision.

The Ford continued down Hall Ings to the junction with Bridge Street, where the lights were also at red. Some pedestrians, including a woman and two children, were crossing the road. Jackson managed to avoid them and continued towards the second pelican crossing, where a male pedestrian was halfway across.

After hitting the pedestrian, the car struck a nearby pole before smashing into some guardrails, demolishing an eight-metre length.

The impact was such that the car became embedded in the railings and all four wheels lifted off the ground, as if it was going to flip on to its roof, said Mr Green.

Jackson, who was injured in the collision, was breath-tested at the scene and it proved negative. When interviewed by police, he said he could not remember most of the incident but claimed the Vauxhall had collided with him. He had banged his head in that collision and that was why he could not remember, he said.

Giles Bridge, mitigating, said his client could remember seeing a blonde woman and a child at the pelican crossing and in attempting to go round them he hit the accelerator instead of the brake of the automatic car. "He has expressed genuine remorse for these offences, which had a major effect on him," said Mr Bridge. He was beginning to come to terms with his alcohol problem and had sought help from hospital and church sources, Mr Bridge said.

Pastor Peter Benn, of the Clayton Gospel Hall, Bradford, told the court that Jackson had been deeply distressed by the consequences of the accident and had sought counselling and support.