A DAD said his decision to overtake a van on a blind bend was a “moment of madness”.

Thomas Grey, 25, yesterday admitted causing the crash near Wroughton in which he, another driver and two girls suffered horrific injuries.

Magistrates heard that Grey was behind the wheel of a 2002-plate Mitsubishi Space Star at around 7.30am on December 30 last year, driving along Wharf Road towards Swindon in order to pick his wife up from work.

Prosecutor Keith Ballinger told the court Grey’s Mitsubishi was behind a van and a Seat car being driven by an off-duty police officer.

After negotiating a series of bends, Grey decided to pull out in order to overtake the van and car on a straight section of road.

He later told police he had not seen a sign warning of a right-hand bend up ahead.

As a result, he ended up on the wrong side of the road and crashed head-on with a Toyota being driven by another man.

Grey fractured two ribs and cracked his breastbone in the crash. A girl travelling in one of the cars suffered a broken eye socket, while another girl broke her left arm. The girls cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The driver of the Toyota, who had been driving from the direction of Wroughton, shattered his right elbow in the collision and a laceration to his right knee resulted in a large piece of bone splitting off.

Interviewed by the police, Grey told officers he had become frustrated with the van, which had been doing around 40mph – 10mph under the speed limit on the country road.

“He accepted his overtaking manoeuvre was dangerous and he described it as a moment of madness,” Mr Ballinger said.

Grey was a man of previous good character.

Appearing before Swindon Magistrates’ Court yesterday dressed in a suit and black tie, Grey, of St Andrews Court, Wroughton, admitted three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Chloe Griggs, defending, agreed with a recommendation from the Crown that the case was sent up to the crown court for sentence.

She told the justices: “Because Mr Grey will receive an overall aggravated sentence because there are three victims that will inevitably lead to an adjustment upwards. It is not within the magistrates’ court sentencing powers.”

Bailing Grey to appear before Swindon Crown Court for sentence on November 20, chairman of the bench Simon Wolfensohn said: “We agree this falls outside our powers. This is something that needs to go to the crown court.”

Grey was given an interim driving ban.