A ROSSENDALE man has been jailed ‘indefinitely’ for ploughing through a crowd outside a nightclub in a stolen car.

Revellers were ‘knocked down like skittles’ as they fled in terror from Lee Anthony Bradley, 26, as he sped along the pavement in a Saab 93, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Seven women and seven men were taken to hospital with injuries following the incident last October outside a strip of bars and clubs in Packer Street, Rochdale.

The court heard that it was a “miracle” no one was killed.

Bradley handed himself in to police on November 2 and admitted a string of offences committed in the incident in the early hours of Sunday, October 17.

Judge William Morris, Recorder of Bolton, said Bradley, already a convicted killer with a conviction for manslaughter when he was just 16, posed a danger to the public and must remain behind bars until it was considered safe to release him.

Judge Morris passed an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection and ruled the defendant must serve a minimum of six years before he can apply for parole. Passing sentence, he said: “You were deliberately using this motor vehicle as a weapon, a fearsome weapon.

“You will not be released, in fact, until the parole board decide that it is safe to release you again into the community.”

Bradley had two previous convictions for drink-driving and was banned from driving for life. High on a cocktail of drink and cocaine, he was seen laughing as he drove at the pedestrians, the court heard.

He had been thrown out of the Dali Bar, in Packer Street, for being “extremely drunk” and tried to push his way back in, threatening the doormen before bouncer Ben Pickup pushed him to the ground.

A minute later he mounted the pavement outside the bar, “levelled” the car at Mr Pickup and drove straight at him – missing him by inches.

Bradley then ploughed on, accelerating down the pavement, running over and scattering shocked revellers.

Unemployed Bradley, who is known to have a number of children, including four with his wife, was jailed for manslaughter in 2002 after a gang attack.

Anthony Morris, mitigating, told the court his client had a problem with drink and cocaine.