Motorist hit and injured three people he tried to "scare" with his car

Roman Skripa had been drinking whiskey and beer before he got behind the wheel during an argument and hit two women and a man with the vehicle as they tried to climb a wall to get away.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the car struck one woman on the leg, the other female on the arm and the man on the ankle.

Skripa, 34, of Percy Road, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, formerly of South Shields, South Tyneside, admitted dangerous driving. He was cleared of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm by a jury after a trial.

Mr Recorder Nathan Moxon said: "While you didn't intend to hit them, you drove at them with the intention to scare them.

"Lets be frank, you could have killed them.”

The court heard the confrontation happened on April 30 2023 when Skripa got into a dispute with the victims in the street.

Recorder Moxon said: "You revved at them and mounted a grass verge and drove towards them.

"They sought refuge by a wall and by trying to climb over the wall and you collided with them.

"The jury found you were not guilty of attempting to cause very serious harm and so I sentence you on the basis you did not intend to hit them with the car."

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The recorder said it would have been "terrifying" for the three people who were hit and they all suffered physcial or psychological affects. One of the victims said she thinks what happened will live with her forever.

Tony Cornberg, defending, said Skripa was under a "perfect storm of stresses" at the time, is remorseful, has a family and is in employment.

Recorder Moxon said Skripa has been in no trouble before or since, has suffered tragedy and shown genuine remorse.

The recorder sentenced him to 14 months, suspended for 18 months, with 200 hours unpaid work and an 18 month road ban.