BBC Local Live: Essex

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Shaun Whiter, who wasn't present at Cambridge Crown Court, said he still suffered from "flashbacks and nightmares" following the crash.

Joey Abbs sat with his head in his hands as the sentence was read to the court, while members of the victims' families were seen wiping away tears throughout the hearing.

Judge Jonathan Haworth told Jan Adamec that his actions were "despicable", adding: "You were driving along that road in a manner that was patently dangerous. 

"You were driving, according to some witnesses, well in excess of 60mph."

An eyewitness reported seeing Adamec driving without headlights and veering across the road in the moments before the collision.

Both Shaun Whiter and Joey Abbs were wearing high-visibility vests when they were hit, and had placed a light on the road to alert drivers.

Judge Haworth told Adamec: "You reversed, you drove around the injured men, lying on the ground and you drove off."

Adamec had also ignored a police appeal for information, and had attempted to flee from officers when they visited his address.

The solicitor representing Shaun Whiter, who had his lower legs amputated after being involved in a hit-and-run collision, says today's sentencing of Jan Adamec, the driver involved, will "allow him to move on from the accident, and focus instead on the rehabilitation journey involved".

This evening and tonight it will be dry with clear intervals, but cloud will thicken with patchy rain spreading into western parts of the county later. Areas further east will remain largely dry. 

Light to moderate southerly winds. Lows of 15 to 17C (59 to 63F).

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Saturday will be a cloudy, wet day with outbreaks of rain expected on and off through much of the day, although the heaviest rain will be in western parts, while areas near the east coast will remain drier. 

Moderate southerly winds. Highs reaching 24C (75F).

Essex Police has organised a community meeting following the death of one Polish man and an attack on two others in Harlow. 

Essex PoliceCopyright: Essex Police

It will be held at 13:00 tomorrow at the Latton Bush Centre, Southern Way, Harlow.

The  was organised after the death of Arkadiusz Jozwik (pictured) who was assaulted in The Stow on 27 August, and a separate incident in which two Polish men were assaulted in Kitson Way on 4 September.

Ch Supt Sean O’Callaghan said: "Residents are understandably shocked and concerned following these two violent incidents."We wanted to give the community an opportunity to raise their concerns and speak to us directly about the issues they are experiencing.”Essex Police Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh met Col Rafal Batkowski, director of international co-operation of the Polish State Police, on Tuesday.The Polish force is sending an officer to assist the Harlow Community Policing Team, although a date for their visit has yet to be confirmed. 

Shaun Whiter's family are "disappointed" by the sentence given to Jan Adamec at Cambridge Crown Court today, say police.

PC Ashley Bennett, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Roads Policing Unit, added: "Three years, four months, whilst it seems like a long sentence, with good behaviour that's reduced, and I think considering the severity of the injuries, it could almost have been a fatal collision.

"I think yes, they're disappointed."

PC Ashley Bennett, one of the officers who attended the scene of the collision on 1 July in Newmarket, said it was "absolutely horrifying".

Since then he's been involved with the investigation, and has also been in contact with the families of both Shaun Whiter and Joey Abbs.

He added: "It's been extremely difficult seeing Mr Whiter and Mr Abbs as they are. As well as the physical injuries, there's the emotional and mental injuries that they're also suffering. Both men are absolutely distraught.

"Mr Whiter couldn't even be here; he couldn't face seeing Mr Adamec today."

Returning now to the sentencing of Jan Adamec, a statement read out by Eleanor Howie, solicitor for one of his victims, Joey Abbs, said: "This is an incredibly sad case in which the careless actions of a driver left two young men with serious and life-changing injuries. 

Newmarket Town FCCopyright: Newmarket Town FC

"Joey is still coming to terms with his injuries and the long road to recovery he now faces.

"The guilty plea entered by the driver spared Joey and Shaun the stress and anxiety of a long trial and the sentence handed down today has helped him draw a line under what has been a very difficult time. 

"We are working with Joey to help him to overcome his injuries in the best way he can and we will be looking to help him to access the funds he will require for his ongoing therapy and recovery."

Shaun Whiter, who lost both of his legs in the hit-and-run crash that led to Jan Adamec being sentenced today to three years, four months in prison, spoke out about him last month.

Mr Whiter said: "Without a doubt it's good to know that the guy is off the streets.

"Being 27, I didn't dream of this. Personally, I think I shouldn't have to deal with this, but it's a case of now I have to deal with this, and I hope he's aware of that."

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The crash happened on Dullingham Road in Newmarket on 1 July, at 22:55. Joey Abbs' Vauxhall Astra had a flat tyre, and he pulled up on a pavement and called his friend for help.

Mr Whiter came to his aid, parking his black BMW 320 behind.

A Ford Focus then crashed into Mr Whiter, who was standing behind his vehicle. The force shunted the BMW forward, pinning Mr Abbs between the two cars.

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Judge Jonathan Haworth has described the actions of Jan Adamec as "despicable and callous".

Adamec failed to stop after a collision on Dullingham Road in Newmarket on 1 July, and has today been sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court to three years, four months in prison.

The collision led to Shaun Whiter having both his legs amputated, and his friend Joey Abbs receiving serious leg injuries.

Mr Abbs spent six days in hospital, and Mr Whiter was released on 29 July.

A Haverhill man has been given a prison sentence of three years and four months for causing serious injury to two men by dangerous driving.

The judge at Cambridge Crown Court said the maximum sentence he could impose was five years, but he reduced the term because Jan Adamec had previously pleaded guilty to the charges.

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One of his victims, Shaun Whiter, 27, had to have both his legs amputated after the collision. He worked as an estate agent in Stansted, Essex, and was due to begin training with Newmarket Town FC.

His legs were crushed by Adamec's vehicle as he tried to help his friend Joey Abbs fix his car on Dullingham Road at 22:55 on 1 July.

Mr Abbs, who played football with Cambridgeshire team Soham Town Rangers, was trapped between his and Mr Whiter's vehicles. He suffered serious leg injuries.

Adamec did not stop after the accident.

Ninety-three years ago this month, a photographer captured players stopping for a beer at half-time during a game of mud-football at Leigh-on-Sea.

Mud football is an annual event at the Leigh Regatta which continues to this day.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

I'm at Cambridge Crown Court, where Jan Adamec is due to be sentenced following his guilty plea to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, following a collision in Newmarket in the summer.

Mr Adamec, 40, drove into Shaun Whiter and Joey Abbs as they changed a flat tyre in Newmarket, Suffolk, on 1 July.

Mr Whiter's legs were amputated and Mr Abbs sustained a serious leg injury.

Joey Abbs has recently arrived at court.

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Sunny spells this afternoon but also few showers are possible.

It'll be rather breezy too and it'll feel less humid than recent days. 

Maximum temperature: 23C (73F) 

More details from BBC Weather:

Roads covering the equivalent area of 12,000 tennis courts have been resurfaced in Essex this summer, according to the county council.

Essex County CouncilCopyright: Essex County Council

About 3.2m sq m (790 acres) of roads have been improved.

The work has been helped by a new chip-spreading machine which allows teams to surface the entire width of a road in one pass, where previously it would only surface one lane at a time.

Eddie Johnson, Essex County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “This is an amazing amount of roads improved and safeguarded for the future.

"Surface dressing work is all about preventative maintenance, vital to keep our road network in good condition and to prevent potholes developing in the future."

Essex County CouncilCopyright: Essex County Council

Essex Police says it is continuing to investigate after a large-scale fight at a caravan park in Clacton. Three people were arrested.

GoogleCopyright: Google

Officers were called to reports of a major fight in the car park of the Valley Farm Caravan Park in the early hours of 29 August. 

 A 52-year-old local man suffered serious facial cuts and a suspected fractured nose. Two men and a 17-year-old youth were arrested on suspicion of either affray or causing grievous bodily harm and have since been released on police bail.