A DRIVER deliberately tried to run over man in shocking attack in which horrified witnesses screamed out “Oh my God! What’s he doing?”

Joshua Gray drove his blue Honda Civic car at Ryan Smith on Newport’s Vaughan Williams Drive in the Alway area of the city.

The victim managed to jump out of the way during a confrontation between the two with the vehicle clipping his legs but “mercifully” causing no injury.

There was a history of bad blood between Gray and Mr Smith, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

MORE NEWS

Paul Hewitt, prosecuting, played mobile phone video footage capturing the drama during the defendant’s sentencing hearing.

Gray, aged 28, of Partridge Way, Duffryn, Newport, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and common assault on September 1, 2021.

He had one previous conviction for drug driving dating back to last year.

Gareth Williams, representing the defendant, said his client was a family man who was capable of being rehabilitated in the community rather than being jailed.

Judge Shomon Khan told Gray: “You have deliberately driven at Ryan Smith.

“Of course there is background to it but none of that justifies your actions.

“I am satisfied that you were trying to run him over.

“For whatever reason, you were trying to do him injury.

“Mercifully, because he was able to jump out of the way, there was only minimal contact but it could have been much worse.

“From the mobile phone footage you can hear people in the car screaming out ‘Oh my God! What’s he doing?’ just to show you how shocked they were.

“It was a flagrant disregard for the rules of the road but it was a short-lived incident, only a matter of seconds.”

Gray was jailed for eight months, suspended for 12 months.

He was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and made the subject of a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

The defendant was banned from driving for three years and ordered to take an extended retest.

Gray must also pay £600 prosecution costs and a victim surcharge.