A man who fled the country after driving over a man in Brentwood has been jailed for four years.

Martin Stokes ran over a man lying on the road and injured two others outside the Sugar Hut in Brentwood High Street in the early hours of April 2, 2017.

Stokes - of no fixed address - was given the term by Crown Court Judge Samantha Leigh at a hearing held at Southend Magistrates' Court this morning (January 24).

The 28-year-old admitted Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

On Friday - January 21 - he was found not guilty of attempted murder or grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent.

Det Supt Steve Jennings, of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate, said Stokes "tried his best to evade justice" for more than four years until he was arrested in April last year.

“This incident severely impacted Stokes’ victims and has significantly impacted them in the long-term," he added.

“We never stopped pursuing Stokes after he fled the country and, today, he has been sentenced to an appropriate time in custody for his crimes.”

Footage shows Stokes involved in a "large-scale disturbance" outside the club, before he gets into the driving seat of an Audi Q7.

Stokes’ victim, then aged in his 20s, had been knocked out in the disturbance and was laying on the road.

The vehicle can then be seen accelerating toward the victim and two other people tending to him.

He was severely injured in the incident and needed emergency treatment to save his life.

Police say the other men's injuries were not serious, though what happened "significantly impacted" their mental health.

Stokes then left the country and could not be located until he was arrested in London last April before being charged by Essex Police.

He did not deny being behind the wheel of the Audi Q7 but claimed not to have seen the victim on the ground.

Police say Stokes is the eleventh person to be convicted in connection with this incident.

Eight men admitted affray in 2019 and were given suspended prison sentences, fined and were ordered to complete unpaid work totalling 880 hours.

In December 2018 two men were also fined and ordered to carry out unpaid work for affray.