A 41-year-old former Shropshire man who ploughed into a group of men in his car has been convicted of dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm.

Roy Dietrich denied claims he had deliberately run into the group in drunken revenge for an earlier pub argument and he was yesterday cleared of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Sentence was adjourned for a report and Dietrich, formerly of Telford but who now lives in Nottingham, was given conditional bail.

Judge Nicholas Mitchell told him: “Whatever the contents of that report, custody is very much in the fore.

“You are disqualified from driving forthwith. You will be told how long the disqualification will be at the next hearing.”

The jury took a few hours yesterday to convict Dietrich of driving dangerously and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Lee Pearsall while acquitting him of intent in the incident on the B4375 in Broseley on May 23 last year.

The four-day trial had heard how Dietrich’s car hit the men as they walked home from The Albion pub where they had earlier had an argument with him.

Mr Pearsall, Steven Perks, Simon Jordan and Jamie Wilmore were left on the ground after Dietrich’s car struck them, Mr Gareth Walters, prosecuting, said.

Dietrich, who had been visiting friends and family in Shropshire at the time, told the court he had drunk eight pints and five bottles of beer before getting behind the wheel of his car.

He said he felt “sick” to his stomach that someone was seriously hurt. He had said: “I have to live with it for the rest of my life.”

Dietrich denied his car had mounted the pavement and that he had deliberately targeted the men.