A man who caused a head-on crash when he drove on the wrong side of the road has admitted causing serious injury.

Sven Pfeiffer, 59, of Marburg, central Germany, was due at Maidstone Magistrates' Court but could not attend due to medical reasons.

Despite not being present, he entered a guilty plea of dangerous driving via his solicitor.

Magistrates heard how Pfeiffer had been driving a hired Vauxhall Corsa, on Brielle Way, towards Sheerness, on Saturday, July 23, when he crossed a double white line and ended up on the opposite side of the road.

Prosecuting, Mark Kateley said: “As the vehicle went around the bend he collided head-on with a Volkswagen Polo travelling in the opposite direction.”

The Polo was driven by Tara Ullah, a learner driver who was with her mother Diane Webb.

Mr Kateley said there had been no avoiding the collision, which left Mrs Webb trapped.

“She suffered a broken collarbone and several breakages of the ankle and leg.

“She is effectively wheelchair bound at the moment and is likely to be for three months.”

Miss Ullah, he added, who came away with bruises and neck injuries, had suffered flashbacks and the crash had affected her capacity to learn to drive.

Pfeiffer had been in England a week and was a regular visitor on business. That Saturday had been a weekend off and he had intended to drive to the coast.

“He pulled out of a junction and ended up on the right side of the road,” Mr Kateley said.

“That’s what he would do in Germany. He knew what double white lines meant. It’s the same in Germany.”

The court heard that Pfeiffer had been driving for 40 years and had had one minor accident aged 18. He had a clean licence.

Magistrates committed the case to crown court for sentencing at a date which is yet to be confirmed.