Accused thought girlfriend was in danger when he struck man with car in Coseley, court told

Marc Round is accused of aiming his Peugeot 106 at David Jones around midnight on May 6 last year, in Birmingham New Road, Coseley.

Giving evidence yesterday at his trial being held at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Round said he was returning to pick up his girlfriend and another woman after leaving them behind when chased from a BP petrol station forecourt by Jones, who was holding a large stick.

He told the court they had arrived at the same petrol station after an altercation earlier that night at The Clifton pub, in Sedgley.

Under cross-examination by Mr Edward Soulsbury, prosecuting, Round, aged 25, of Robin Hood Road, Brierley Hill, said: "I'm not going to leave the mother of my child at the petrol station with him. If that makes me bad then I'm bad.

"Would you leave the mother of your child with a man that had already attacked me?"

He also said he was not going too fast, as he had just turned his car around.

Mr Paul Mytton, defending, read out a statement from passenger Robert Piggott who was in the car with Round.

He described how Jones, carrying the piece of wood, had arrived at the petrol station with others in a silver VW Polo. He said how they came towards the car, which Round then drove off to the entrance of Coseley School.

Mr Mytton said Mr Piggott was then shouting at Round to get back for the women who had been left behind.

Reading Mr Piggott's statement, Mr Mytton said: "As he drove back to the direction of the BP forecourt, I could see the VW Polo was in the middle of the road near to the forecourt entrance. The vehicle was blocking the roadway."

He said people were standing on either side of the car and both ways were blocked to get back to the station.

To pass he said Round then drove on the footpath where the man with the stick was standing, at around 25 mph.

Round denies a charge of dangerous driving The jury was expected to start considering its verdict today.