Norwich City's Flynn Clarke drove stupidly ahead of A47 crash - police

Flynn Clarke was the driver of the car when it crashed into the motorhome, leaving three people with serious injuries, two of them his friends

A footballer jailed for causing serious injury to three people by dangerous driving has been condemned by police for driving "incredibly stupidly".

Norwich City midfielder Flynn Clarke, 20, pleaded guilty to the charges and was jailed for 12 months on Friday.

Cambridgeshire Police said he was driving to a rave and nitrous oxide cannisters were found in the car.

PC Alex Thomas said the outcome of the crash, on the A47 near Peterborough, "could have been much worse".

Clarke - pictured playing for Peterborough United - has yet to make a first-team appearance for Norwich

Clarke, who scored on his Scotland Under-21 debut last year, was also given an interim driving ban during sentencing at Cambridge Crown Court.

He was driving a BMW 218i along the A47 at Thorney at about 14:30 BST on 30 April 2022 when he crashed into a Fiat Ducato motorhome, police said.

A Land Rover Defender then ploughed into the back of the motorhome.

A witness told police Clarke had been driving "erratically" before the crash, weaving in and out of lanes, with the BMW's occupants looking distracted.

'Unnecessary crash'

Clarke, of Plumstead Road, Thorpe End, Norwich, a 19-year-old male passenger and a 19-year-old female passenger suffered minor injuries, but two other 19-year-old men, passengers in the back seat, received serious injuries.

The motorhome driver, a 59-year-old man, also received serious injuries while his 60-year-old woman passenger suffered minor injuries.

The driver and passenger of the Land Rover were uninjured.

PC Thomas said: "Clarke drove incredibly stupidly that day and caused an unnecessary crash that left six people with injuries, including four of his friends.

"I hope he has learnt a lesson by seeing the consequences of driving so dangerously."

Clarke had not played for City's first team since signing for them from Peterborough Utd two years ago. The club is considering the matter "internally in accordance with its own disciplinary procedure".

Earlier this month he was sent to east London on a season-long loan to Dagenham & Redbridge of the National League.