Man admits guilt in footballer amputation crash

Shaun Whiter had both legs amputated after a crash when he was helping his friend change a flat tyre

A man has admitted causing a crash that resulted in a footballer having both legs amputated.

Jan 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.

Adamec, of Shetland Road, Haverhill, admitted two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, in a hearing at Cambridge Crown Court. He will be sentenced in September.

Mr Whiter, 27, worked as an estate agent in Stansted, Essex, and was due to begin training with Newmarket Town FC.

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His legs were crushed by Adamec's vehicle as he tried to help his friend fix his car on Dullingham Road in the Suffolk town at 22:55 BST.

Joey Abbs, a Soham Town Rangers player who has also played for Newmarket, was left with "serious" leg injuries in the crash

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

Adamec did not stop after the accident.

Mr Whiter underwent emergency surgery at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. He lost both his legs below the knee.

Mr Whiter is determined to walk his bride down the aisle at their wedding in July 2017, his family said

Despite his injuries, he told his family he was determined to walk his fiancée down the aisle when they marry next summer.

The keen sportsman also said he would like to take part in the Paralympics in four years.

He was discharged from hospital on 29 July, while Mr Abbs was discharged after six days.

A spokesman for the Whiter family said: "We are relieved that with the guilty plea there will be no need for a trial and the added stress that would cause."