A MAN shouted “you’re a dead man” as he drove his car towards a motorcyclist in a shop car park.

The victim was having a cigarette and standing by his machine when a Vauxhall Zafira drove straight for him.

It hit the motorcycle which fell and trapped the owner by the leg and pinned him against some railings.

Jermaine Douglas, 30, of Wheatsheaf Lane, Gwersyllt, Wrexham, continued to drive the car over the motorcycle and the front bumper was over the victim’s leg. He then reversed which allowed the victim to stand up.

The car drove away and the victim was fortunate to have suffered only a stiff shoulder and neck and pain to the top of his leg, Mold Crown Court was told.

Douglas admitted dangerous driving following the incident at the Lidl car park in Gwersyllt on May 15 last year.

The court heard there was bad blood between them – Douglas was in a relationship with the former partner of complainant Mark Davies.

Barrister Matthew Curtis, prosecuting, said there had been an earlier incident in February of last year outside Ruabon High School when Douglas, driving a Corsa, reversed the vehicle with wheels spinning twice towards the complainant who was on his motorcycle. He then drove off at speed with the car snaking.

Douglas admitted careless driving following that incident.

He received a 14 month prison, sentence suspended for 18 months, was banned from driving for three years and was ordered to take an extended driving test.

Douglas was placed on rehabilitation and must pay Mr Davies £1,000 compensation.

Mr Recorder Greg Bull QC said Douglas drove his car at the complainant. “You ran him over. You damaged him and his motorcycle. You could have killed him,” he said, adding Mr Davies was vulnerable on a motorcycle.

To make matters worse Douglas should not have been in front of the wheel at all because he was a provisional driver who was not accompanied.

Time had passed, said the judge, and it had hopefully been a healer in the bad relationship between the two men.

In a victim impact statement Mr Davies said he was angry about the state of affairs which had arisen, was concerned that his child, who lived with his former partner and Douglas, would have to travel in a vehicle with the defendant, and he was also in constant fear that Douglas would use his vehicle as a weapon against him.

Barrister Phillip Clemo, defending, said the offences were a year old and there had been no repetition.

Douglas had moved on, he had employment and a reference showed he was highly thought of.

There had no doubt been an element of jealousy between the two men and the rights and wrongs of what had gone on would not concern the court.

Neither had covered themselves in glory, Mr Clemo claimed.

Douglas accepted he had been in the wrong when the offences occurred and he had behaved in a wholly inappropriate way.

“He needs to learn a better way to deal with highly emotionally charged situations,” he said.