A drunken man ran over his brother-in-law on his birthday after the two fell out during a night's boozing in Maidstone.

Stefan White was at the wheel of his Land Rover when he drove over the chest of victim Laine Hilden, 31, leaving him with life-changing injuries.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how he then drove home telling the victim's sister Rebecca he had been in a fight with her brother - and she advised him to go to sleep and "sober up".

White then told her: "I think I hit him with the car" before vomiting and passing out, but she didn't take him seriously, the court heard.

Prosecutor Peter Forbes told how on November 30, 2018, the two men had been out drinking with a friend.

"Shortly before midnight, White was driving a Land Rover which collided with a Mr Hilden on the A229 Loose Road, running into him and over him.

"Mr Hilden sustained serious injuries to his chest, pelvis and spine which left him hospitalised for two weeks."

White, 40, of Mangravet Avenue, Maidstone was later acquitted by a jury of attempting to murder his brother-in-law - but was convicted of a lesser charge of causing serious injury by driving dangerously.

He was jailed for 18 months, banned from driving for four years and ordered to take an extended test before getting behind a wheel again.

The three men had been to a pub in Stone Street and after an evening drinking, White drove them to a Tesco Express to get some cash out.

Mr Forbes said: "There was a disagreement and violence between them, resulting in Mr Hilden and his friend setting off to walk home.

"As he walked Mr Hilden remembered being aware of a vehicle's headlights from behind. He turned and was struck by the defendant's Land Rover and was dragged along underneath and he remembered it going over his rib cage.

"The defendant did not stop at the scene and made his way home and was not arrested until December 3."

The victim believed the vehicle had mounted the pavement before hitting him - but police forensic examiners believe he was bending down in the nearside lane at the time.

The prosecutor said White later told officers that he "loved Laine Hilden like a brother and would never wish him any harm."

Mr Hilden - a proud, hard-working man - remembered: "I was in so much pain from my back and there was blood everywhere. I don't remember the journey to King's College Hospital because I was out of it.

"I was in so much pain. All I could think about was my wife and children and how I would support them going forwards.

'I wake up at night sweating and still get flashbacks of the car hitting me and feeling every bit of pain as the car drove over me...'

"I couldn't take in that my brother-in-law had done this to me. I was shell-shocked.

"My whole world around me was crashing in, when the doctor explained my injuries I thought I wouldn't be able to walk again. "I was so scared.

"I still can't understand why this has happened. I wake up at night sweating and still get flashbacks of the car hitting me and feeling every bit of pain as the car drove over me."

He said his brother-in-law had "ripped apart" and destroyed his family but is able to "walk freely" and have " a normal life" while he still relies on crutches to get around.

"I think to myself sometimes, was I better off dying? I feel worthless and useless. I believe I was in the prime of my life. My whole world has come to a stop. I just want justice for me and my family."

James Martin, defending, said: "This was a tragic incident which has torn apart their families.

"It's a night which plays in his head and he wishes he could go back and start all over again and make different choices.

"He is genuinely remorseful. He accepts full responsibility for his actions."

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

For information on how we can report on court proceedings, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone