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A Corby driver who ploughed a Vauxhall Insignia into a group of teens out celebrating the end of their school year has admitted his crimes in court.

A group of pals were left with serious injuries following the incident – which saw one boy carried along Elizabeth Street on the car bonnet with his head impaled in the windscreen.

Hugo Andre Nunes Fernandes made a brief appearance before Northampton Crown Court this afternoon (Friday, September 2) to admit all charges relating to the horrific incident in Cottingham Road, Corby, late on June 24.

No details of the incident were relayed in court today, but some facts have been revealed at interim hearings during the past two months.

A previous hearing was told how uninsured driver Fernandes – who was two-and-a-half times over the drink drive limit – had been behind the wheel of a 2014-plate red Vauxhall Insignia along Cottingham Road, with a passenger, when cars in front of him stopped to let the group of four teens cross the zebra crossing at the entrance to West Glebe Park.

At that point, the 36-year-old is said to have overtaken the waiting vehicles on the wrong side of the road and ploughed into the friends. He then drove on with one of the boys on the bonnet of his car, with his head impaled in the windscreen, along Elizabeth Street for a quarter a mile while trying to ‘dislodge’ him.

The teens’ family remained composed in court today and Fernandes, wearing a blue t-shirt and supported by friends in the public gallery, stared ahead, speaking only to admit the charges against him.

Fernandes, of Samuel Place, pleaded guilty to three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, attempted grievous bodily harm, driving with excess alcohol and driving without insurance.

Prosecutors had originally considered a charge of attempted murder but did not pursue that charge.

The court was told by Mary Prior QC, prosecuting, that one of the boys involved is only now at the beginning of his rehabilitation and that he will be in hospital for a ‘very, very long time.’

His Honour Judge David Herbert QC delayed sentencing to allow legal preparations to be made. He was warned he faces a ‘significant period’ in jail.

Just two days after the crash, Fernandes had appeared at Northampton Magistrates’ Court to admit drink driving during a separate offence that took place on April 30. He was found behind the wheel twice over the limit in High Street, Corby and was disqualified from driving for 20 months. He also admitted recklessly damaging a police car.