A dangerous driver from Woking who left a motorist needing lifelong medication after causing a head-on collision has been jailed for 20 months.

Attila Nagy told police that a bolting fox was to blame for a three-vehicle collision in Guildford last February 24 which left another driver with serious internal injuries.

But dashcam footage from his own Mercedes C-Class showed a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre was the cause of the 5pm smash on Woking Road.

The 43-year-old of Knaphill was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court to one year and eight months in prison after pleading guilty on January 6 to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was also given a 34-month driving ban with the requirement to sit a retest to get his driving licence back.

The court heard that police were called to a three-vehicle collision involving a Honda Jazz, a BMW 3 Series and Nagy’s vehicle.

Upon arrival, officers found significant damage to all three vehicles and debris across the carriageway with witnesses referring to the dangers of Nagy's driving.

Nagy claimed the collision was caused by him taking evasive action to avoid hitting a fox which had run out on the road from a woodland at the roadside.

But dashcam footage showed he had tried to overtake the Jazz before colliding head on with the BMW while attempting to return to the correct lane.

While Nagy and the driver of the Honda escaped without injury, the BMW driver had to be removed from their vehicle with support from Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.

They were subsequently taken to hospital with serious internal injuries and will require medication to treat this for the rest of their life.

In questioning, Nagy said his decision to attempt an overtake was due to the Honda driver not travelling at an appropriate speed, while his dashcam footage showed no sign of a fox.

Investigating officer PC Pat Nixon from the Surrey Roads Policing Unit said: “This collision could have ended very differently.

“Nagy's actions showed a complete disregard for the safety of others on the road and could have had fatal consequences.

“He showed no remorse for his behaviour, claiming a fox was the cause of the collision. Our investigation showed this to be a lie. I am glad we have bought some justice and closure for the victim in this case who was travelling home innocently.

“Dangerous or careless driving is one of the 'fatal five' factors which are considered the main causes of serious injury or fatal collisions on our roads.

“Anyone who commits these offences could be the reason why a loved one doesn't make it home. Is it really worth your freedom?”