A mini-cab driver who laughed after deliberately running over a pedestrian has been jailed for four years.

Russell Croft, 48, of Mallow Close, Tadworth, used his luxury S-Type Jaguar as a “lethal weapon” to flatten engineer Michael Wiggs who was crossing a busy street in Soho, a court heard.

Mr Wiggs was in hospital for three weeks following the incident on June 14 last year and still suffers nerve damage in his hands and anxiety attacks.

Croft, who was ferrying a group of solicitors from the posh Ivy restaurant to the Chinawhite nightclub, left his 32-year-old victim with “catastrophic injuries”.

They included a fractured skull, a punctured lung and numerous breaks to his ribs and legs.

Croft was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and dangerous driving.

Judge Michael Gledhill QC, passing sentence, said: “As Mr Wiggs moved across the front of your vehicle, to the driver's side, you put your foot down hard on the accelerator.

“He must have got caught on the front of your wheel because he fell backwards on to the ground, hit his head on the road and got a fractured skull.

“You continued to accelerate and literally drove over him, first the front wheel and then the back wheel.

“Your behaviour after this incident was extraordinary. You were seen by many witnesses on your phone laughing and smiling. You appeared calm to others.”

Mr Wiggs was crossing the road near the junction of Berwick Street and D'Arblay Street when Croft's car first “nudged” him.

Anita Arora, prosecuting, said: “Croft drove at Mr Wiggs effectively using that car as you might do a punch or some other weapon. He knew full well that he had knocked him over, and having done that he carried on until he had gone over Mr Wiggs with the entire length of his blue Jaguar saloon car.”

Giving evidence Mr Wiggs said he had drunk four pints of beer and eaten a large meal at Satsuma in Wardour Street before he was run over.

He said: “We left the restaurant and we had decided to go for a couple more drinks. I looked around and crossed the road. I got hit from my right in my mid-thigh. It knocked me sideways. I was surprised and quite shocked.

“The next thing I know I'm waking up in hospital. It was a pretty traumatic event.”