A Shropshire man ran over another man leaving him in a pool of blood and then fled the country for more than six years, a court heard.

Brynsley Van-Hamlett, 28, knocked down Phillip Broadhurst following a row in Stirchley, Telford, on April 27, 2003, before fleeing to Spain the next day, it was alleged at Shrewsbury Crown Court. Van-Hamlett, of Stonebridge Close, Aqueduct, returned to the UK last September.

He was arrested and charged with dangerous driving and wounding with intent.

He denies both the charges.

At the opening of his trial yesterday, the court heard how Mr Broadhurst was left in a pool of blood with fractured bones in his back following the incident.

Mr Gerard Quirke, prosecuting, said the incident happened in St James’s Close, Stirchley, where Mr Broadhurst was living at the time.

He told the court that Mr Broadhurst had been having trouble with noisy neighbours, with people driving cars at “excessive” speeds up and down the road to and from the neighbour’s house while children played in the street.

Mr Quirke said: “On this particular day, Mr Broadhurst returned home from the pub, saw a yellow Vauxhall Astra which had been driving up and down the road and picked up a spade.

“Following a discussion with Van-Hamlett, who was in the driver’s seat, the car revved up and drove straight at Mr Broadhurst at around 30mph and ran him over, before speeding off,” he told the court.

“A young child had to leap out of the way of the car.”

Mr Quirke added: “Van-Hamlett never stopped at all, booked himself into a hotel in Birmingham and then made his way to Spain where he remained for several years.”

The court heard that Mr Broadhurst suffered two broken vertebrae in his back and chipped teeth.

Catherine Clem, who was Mr Broadhurst’s partner at the time, told the court: “The car never stopped.

“I ran over to his body and cradled his head, but blood was pouring through my fingers.

“He wasn’t breathing and I was just pleading with him to start breathing or say something.”

The trial continues.

By Andrew Morris