Former Huddersfield Giants star Keith Mason faces a possible jail sentence after crashing into a car carrying a mother and her two daughters and then fleeing the scene.

Mason, 33, of Dewsbury, failed to appear in court to answer charges of careless driving and failing to stop after an accident.

He was convicted in his absence by magistrates in Leeds who heard how he wrote off a Mini Cooper in the head-on smash with his 4x4 Nissan Qashqai in August last year.

The court was told that Mason, also a former St Helens player, got out of his car at the scene in Birstall but made no attempt to exchange details with the female driver before walking away.

Prosecuting Michael Miles said police later traced Mason who he said he thought he was on the correct side of the road but was dazed after the accident from hitting his airbag.

The court heard that shortly before the collision an off-duty police was driving to work when she saw Mason’s grey 4x4 behind her.

Mr Miles said: “The car was accelerating and then having to brake hard. It was veering from side to side.

“The off-duty police officer got further up the road and decided to pull over.”

Five minutes later mum-of-two Katie Galvin was driving her Mini Cooper with her two daughters aged eight and 11 when Mason came around the corner at speed.

She was doing around 15mph due to full-width speed bumps when Mason came around the corner towards her with the wheels of his car leaving the road as he hit the bumps.

He seemed to accelerate towards in the Mini before colliding head-on with the Mini and then drove on for a few metres before getting out and walking away from the scene.

Mr Miles said: “Mr Mason walked away from the scene and did not make any attempt to exchange details.

“Someone at the scene told him to stay or he would get in trouble.”

Mason later told police he was dazed after the accident and walked to his sister’s home and slept for five to six hours.

The court heard that the female driver suffered back and neck pains since the incident and aches all the time.

The Mini Cooper was written off by insurers following the crash.

Mason was found guilty in his absence of careless driving, leaving the scene of a collision and failing to exchange details.

Mason will be sentenced on February 3 at Leeds Magistrates’ Court. The court heard he could face disqualification and a custodial sentence.