A WELDER who drove his BMW at a group of revellers after being thrown out of a club has been jailed for 12 months - and barred for life from his favourite nightspot.

Darren Foster, 28, of Noak Hill Road, Billericay, was involved in a fight in Chicago’s, Basildon - his regular haunt - after a row between his girlfriend and another woman on May 23, 2015.

During his five-day trial at Basildon Crown Court, CCTV footage was played showing him getting into his car and speeding at a couple who narrowly avoided injury.

A jury found him not guilty on two attempted grievous bodily harm charges - but guilty of dangerous driving.

The jury heard he had previous convictions for threatening behaviour, drink driving, racially aggravated assault, battery and failing to provide a sample.

At the time of the offence, Foster was banned from driving and admitted having drunk three pints of Foster’s top.

After driving from the scene, overweight Foster led police on a short chase and was found in a garden smoking a cigarette, where he told police “a skinny bloke” had jumped a fence. Yanick Fielding, mitigating, said Foster had serious health problems and suffered a heart attack aged 25, causing him to lose work and spiral into depression.

He said Foster had “amnesia” caused by the fight in the club, but he accepts his actions. He said: “The video speaks for itself. He couldn’t believe he would have done something like that. He is sorry for the people who were on the road that night.”

Mr Fielding said Foster offered to admit dangerous driving, if prosecutors dropped the attempted GBH charges, saving the expense of a trial.

Judge Ian Pugh said his driving was “extremely dangerous” and it was fortunate the victims did not suffer serious injury.

He made an indefinite restraining order for the victims and also banned Foster from Chicago’s.