Mercedes driver ploughed into Birmingham nightclub crowd while high on drugs, court told
A Mercedes driver high on drugs tried to murder a student during Freshers Week in Birmingham by ploughing his vehicle into a crowd of people outside a nightclub, a court heard.
Mohammed Suffi, 22, is accused of deliberately running over Caliston Calistus after a brawl broke out following a student event at the Tunnel Club in Birmingham.
A court heard Mr Calistus suffered "catastrophic" injuries when Suffi used the "powerful vehicle as a weapon" after being "egged on" by a friend.
He was left with fractured ribs, a fractured pelvis, a broken collar bone, broken shoulder blades, a broken neck and collapsed lungs after being dragged underneath the Mercedes SP69.
Five other people were left injured following the incident on October 3 last year.
Jurors heard Suffi then tried to dispose of the vehicle before fleeing the UK.
Suffi, of Aston, Birmingham, has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving but denies attempted murder and an alternative charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Yesterday (Tuesday, December 2) he went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
Opening the case, Daniel Oscroft, prosecuting, said Suffi and three others had gone to the nightspot where a student freshers event was being held.
He added: "Witnesses described the atmosphere being lively and well controlled until tension started to rise and security intervened in a dispute involving the defendant's group."
Mr Oscroft said Suffi had earlier been captured on security cameras holding a balloon, likely to have contained nitrous oxide.
By about 2.20am after aggressive behaviour and a confrontation with security the defendant and his associates were ejected from the club.
Mr Oscroft added: "They continued to act aggressively and did not let it go."
After about half an hour they returned and as people were coming out and "instigated a full blown flight" despite being outnumbered.
Mr Oscroft said: "Suffi started to drive aggressively. The vehicle reversed and circled back and round and drove at pedestrians knocking people over."
He said there came a point when Mr Calistus became involved in a fight with another man and they moved forward into the road.
Mr Oscroft said Suffi drove straight at them and added: "You can see both Mr Calistus and the other male disappear under the front bumper. You see the vehicle rise and fall over the two bodies. Their bodies are further down the road. Suffi could have stopped. Instead he drove over them.
"He deliberately drove at them and drove over them."
Mr Calistus needed major surgery and spent three weeks in hospital. Mr Oscroft added: "You will not be surprised to learn that he thought he was going to die."
He said the defendant "knew precisely what he was doing" and before speeding off from the scene had swerved to try and hit more students.
The court heard a few hours later Suffi had taken the damaged Mercedes to an industrial park in Oldbury, before leaving the country. Mr Oscroft said: "The intention was to kill someone. It could have been anyone.
"Unfortunately for Mr Calistus he was the one in the road at that time."
The trial continues
