A banned driver ended up in a coma for six days after fleeing from his car when seen by police.

Kirklees magistrates heard how Charles Kilty suffered serious injuries following the early hours incident in Dalton just before last Christmas.

And the 38-year-old had made a formal complaint that officers were heavy-handed.

The Huddersfield court heard that Kilty was sentenced to four weeks in prison in 2008 and banned from the road for 30 months.

The ban was to last until Kilty, of Park Lodge View, Skelmanthorpe, had passed an extended driving test. He failed to complete this.

On December 22 police saw him driving along roads including Penistone Road, Dalton Green Lane, Tolson Crescent, Harpe Inge, Holays, Ridgeway and Brock Bank.

Officers followed Kilty’s Peugeot at 4.30am until it came to a stop.

Linda Fowler, prosecuting, said: “The occupant fled from the vehicle and he was seen to run down a ginnel.

“He was followed by the officers and they found him, having fallen on the floor, unconscious.”

An ambulance was called and Kilty was taken to hospital.

On January 15 he attended Huddersfield Police Station voluntarily and admitted that he had driven while disqualified and without insurance.

Mrs Fowler said: “He said that he couldn’t remember anything but admitted that he was banned at the time and hadn’t passed any test since the disqualification was imposed.”

Ian Whiteley, mitigating, said: “He was in a coma for six days. The Police were at his bedside as at one point as they didn’t think Mr Kilty would survive.

“He had bleeding on the brain and now suffers from memory loss.

Mr Whiteley said that police stated that Kilty tripped, although Kilty claimed he was sat on by one of the officers who had not provided a statement.

He told magistrates: “Mr Kilty suspects that he was assaulted by the police officers. A complaint has been made to the Police Complaints Commission.”

Mr Whiteley added that his client did not realise that he had to retake his driving test after his ban expired.

Magistrates gave Kilty a six-month community order with a low level activity requirement.

They also endorsed his licence with six penalty points and ordered him to pay £85 costs and £60 victim surcharge.

A spokesman for the IPCC confirmed that the incident was referred to it by West Yorkshire Police in December. He added that it was decided that the case should be dealt with by the local police force without the need for further involvement by the IPCC.