A 14-year-old football fan suffered serious injuries after he was thrown into the air when a thug drove a car at him.

The schoolboy was struck after a Motherwell game, and “flipped over the bonnet” of Nathan Mortimer’s Mercedes.

He had watched his team play Queen’s Park at Hampden earlier that day and was walking to Mount Florida train station with friends.

Mortimer, 21, sped off from Bolton Road, and left the teenager - who cannot be identified - injured on the ground.

A passer by helped the child and an ambulance was phoned and Mortimer was later identified as the driver.

Mortimer, from Baillieston, Glasgow, was originally charged with attempted murder but it was later changed to assault to severe injury and the danger of life on July 15, last year.

He pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to the assault charge.

Following the incident [the boy] was taken to the accident and emergency department and found to have cuts and swelling to his hands and a lump on the back of his head.

Procurator fiscal depute Emily Macreath said the child has reported being badly affected and has become anxious and lost confidence.

She said: “He has removed himself from social media and stopped going to play football. He also no longer attends football matches which he loved.

“This in turn has had an impact on his friendships. The incident along with the potential prospect of giving evidence has caused him stress a time when he was studying for his National 5 exams.”

Mortimer went to the police office on July 23 with his solicitor and gave a no comment interview.

The Sheriff deferred sentence for reports and remanded Mortimer in custody.