A FIVE-A-SIDE footballer who deliberately drove his car into a rival player after a bad-tempered match has walked free from court.

Victim Tyler Halford, 19, was thrown onto the bonnet of Callum Palin's car and fell to the ground, suffering hand and wrist injuries.

Palin, 21, of Springbank, Cheltenham, then drove away, leaving Mr Halford lying on the ground at the Bentham Country Club in Brockworth.

Mr Halford's wrist was in plaster for several weeks and he lost a job opportunity because of his injury, Gloucester Crown court heard.

Painter and decorator Palin, of Grenadier Road, admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident and failing to report the accident on September 14, 2010.

Recorder Stephen Hall QC told Palin: "It was a horrific piece of driving, using a vehicle as a weapon."

He added the crime fully justified an immediate jail term, but as an "act of mercy" he gave Palin another chance.

He told Palin: "I am proposing to suspend the sentence on you. I only do that as an act of mercy on the basis that you are a young man who has got a job and you have not re-offended for almost a year-and-a-half since this incident."

Prosecutor Mary Harley told the court there had been an "acrimonious" match that night between Mr Halford's team the Reverends, and Palin's GBS All Stars side.

"The referee warned all players at half time that if there was any more trouble he would stop the game," she said. "At full-time the players went their separate ways without shaking hands. But as they were leaving arguments again arose."

She said Mr Halford was standing in the car park shortly afterwards when both sides shouted "insults and provocative remarks" at each other.

A plastic bottle was thrown at a VW Golf car full of GBS All Star players and moments later Palin was seen to deliberately swerve his Vauxhall Vectra car into Mr Halford, she said.

She added Mr Halford went sideways onto the Vectra bonnet, then fell off. He suffered pain to his wrist and hand and a soft tissue injury to the left elbow. He also had pain the lower back.

No fracture was found but his wrist had to be plastered for several weeks.

Mrs Harley said Palin drove away from the scene but was later caught.

She added that Palin had previous convictions for theft, breach of the peace, and common assault.

James Tucker, defending, said the offence was committed "very much in the heat of the moment" and Palin was now ashamed and remorseful.

Palin was given a 12-months sentence suspended for two years with a year's supervision. He was also ordered to attend a thinking skills programme and to pay £350 costs.

He was banned from driving for a year.