A DANGEROUS driver who smashed into a cyclist whilst trying to overtake three cars has been jailed for more than two years.

Ibrahim Hacisevki fought back tears as he stood before Judge Ian Graham at Basildon Crown Court on Friday.

The 26-year-old had been driving his car in Stambridge Road, near Stambridge, on May 28 last year when he tried to overtake three vehicles.

But he was forced to drive into the side of the road when he realised another car was travelling in the opposite lane.

Hacisevki had not seen the car before trying to overtake.

He then crashed into a ditch in the road but the force of impact rebounded his car back into the road, colliding with Graham Root’s bike, which sent the cyclist crashing into the road.

Hacisevki’s pregnant girlfriend was in the passenger seat of his car when the crash happened.

Caroline Gardiner, prosecuting, told the court: “Mr Root could see the white Renault Clio approaching from behind him.

“He saw the car swerve and crash into the ditch, but could do nothing to stop the impact, and the car crashed into him from behind, and he was thrown from the bicycle.

“He does not remember everything after the crash, only that he was lying in considerable pain.”

She added: “He heard a female voice shout ‘what have you f****** done? You could have killed us’ and other voices talking.

“Mr Root was immobile for a number of weeks, and had to have a back brace and walk everywhere on crutches, relying on his wife to care for him.

“He said he psychologically cannot get on a bike again, and his wife has grave concerns about him cycling again.”

Ms Gardiner said the driver of the other car stopped at the scene to help and heard Hacisevki say: ‘I’ve lost my phone,’ before walking off.

She told the court he had called the police the next day, claiming his car had been stolen, before calling them again to say he had lied and that he was responsible, but had driven erratically due to “a black man” pulling up to him and threatening him.

He eventually admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.

Mitigating for Hacisevki, Ian Clift said he was “genuinely sorry” for the crash, and that he was “going through a very dark time” in his life.

Addressing Hacisevki, of Mustang Close, Rochford, Judge Graham said: “You didn’t even see if Mr Root was alive or dead, you just walked away, after you were behaving bizarrely by your vehicle.

“There were extremely serious effects from this crash, it was a very dangerous manoeuvre.”

Hacisevki was sentenced to two years for dangerous driving and four months for perverting the course of justice, to run consecutively