A 28-year-old Shropshire man who hit another man with his car and fled the country believing he had killed him has been jailed for two years.

Brynsley Van Hamlett, of Stonebridge Close, Telford, mowed down Phillip Broadhurst, who had armed himself with a spade following a confrontation with Van Hamlett.

Shrewsbury Crown Court was told Van Hamlett sped towards Mr Broadhurst before hitting him and sending him flying into the air.

Van Hamlett admitted dangerous driving and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in a disagreement about the quality of driving on April 27, 2003.

He was sentenced to two years in prison for assault and given a concurrent eight months for dangerous driving. He was also disqualified from driving for two years.

The court heard the incident happened on a Sunday afternoon in St James’ Crescent, Stirchley.

Mr Gerard Quirke, prosecuting, said Mr Broadhurst’s wife told him not to be stupid, but then realised the defendant had driven his yellow Astra at speed on a pavement and had narrowly missed a nine-year-old boy.

He said: “He performed a handbrake turn at the end of the cul-de-sac and Mr Broa-dhurst went into the road and looked down the road with a spade in his hand.

“The defendant then put his foot on the accelerator and accelerated as fast as he could go, certainly changing up one gear, not braking, and hitting Mr Broadhurst, hitting him into the air and spinning him round. The Astra then carried on.”

The court was told Van Hamlett, who said in an interview he thought Mr Broadhurst would move out of the way of his car, fled to Spain because he thought he had killed his victim, but was arrested on September 23, 2009, after his mother informed police of his return to the country.

Mr Robert Philpotts, for Van Hamlett, said he felt guilt and shame following the incident, which left Mr Broadhurst with a broken vertebrae, bruises and minor facial injuries. He said: “It was not pre-meditated, he did not mean to hit Mr Broadhurst.”

By Rhea Parsons