An underage driver ran a lorry off the road, leaving its driver stuck in the twisted wreckage.

Cristian Pompa had been weaving in and out of traffic in a red BMW on the M1 near junction 22 on Thursday March 5 last year.

The 16-year-old struck a car from behind, sending the vehicle and the woman inside crashing into the central reservation, reports Leicester Mercury.

The smash wrote off her vehicle and caused her soft tissue injuries which required physiotherapy treatment.

The boy's car then crashed into the front offside of a Volvo heavy goods vehicle.

David Earl, prosecuting, said: "The impact wrenched the steering wheel from the lorry driver's hands as the steering jammed.

"The vehicle left the carriageway, went down a bank and tipped onto its side."

The driver was trapped in his cab and had to be cut out by the fire service.

The HGV was damaged beyond repair..

The prosecutor said: "The lorry driver's injuries included three fractures to his spine, a broken right scapula and soft tissue damage to his shoulder and back.

"The pain was excruciating."

He was off work for 11 weeks and has ongoing issues, including severe headaches and is still on painkillers.

In a victim impact statement he said he suffers flashbacks and anxiety.

Pompa, who has since turned 18, fled from the carnage but was arrested after his DNA was found on the blown airbag of his abandoned car.

He pleaded guilty at Leicester Crown Court to causing serious injury by dangerous driving,

Mr Earl said the lorry driver was also a carer for his wife, who suffers from MS, and his injuries made it particularly difficult to look after her.

She was traumatised by the incident and seeing him in hospital.

The court heard that when arrested, Pompa, of Park Avenue, Tottenham, London - who has 11 non-dwelling burglaries and four thefts on his criminal record - gave a "no comment" interview and has never identified the driver of the red BMW who whisked him away from the crash scene.

Sentencing, Judge Robert Brown said: "You were 16 years old and had no driving licence and should not have been behind the wheel of a car or driving down the M1 motorway.

"Your driving was appalling and whilst attempting a manoeuvre, squeezing between two vehicles, you caused a serious collision.

"The lorry driver was trapped and had to be rescued by others at the scene, who turned off his engine because he was unable to.

"There are ongoing consequences for him.

"Your vehicle stopped but instead of going back to see how the other drivers were you got into a car that had been following you and sped off.

"Fleeing the scene was utterly shameful.

"I'm told you're now remorseful."

Priya Bakshi, mitigating, said Pompa's family were in court and his parents appreciated how serious the offence was.

At the time Pompa was studying for his GCSEs and was hoping to do a mechanics college course having passed his exams.

Miss Bakshi said Pompa was sorry and had since matured, now recognising the error of his ways.

She added: "There's nothing I can say to excuse what he did.

"He say's 'I'm guilty and I was 16, to say sorry is not enough and if I could turn the clock back in time I would, I didn't think of the consequences.

" 'I know I could have killed others and killed myself.' "

Pompa was sentenced to 16 months detention.

He was banned from driving for two years and eight months.