An Ipswich man deliberately mounted the pavement and drove his car at a group of men in revenge for an earlier altercation between them, it has been alleged.

As a result of the collision in St Helen’s Street, Ipswich, one of the men ended up unconscious on the pavement and suffered serious head and brain injuries - while another was sent “flying” into the road and spent several days in hospital.

A third man was clipped by the car and received a leg injury which didn’t require hospital treatment, Ipswich Crown Court heard on Monday (September 7).

Before the court is Thomas Broughton, 31, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich.

He has denied attempting to murder Shaun Littlewood, Ashley Green and Brandon Mann on March 8 and dangerous driving on the same date.

Peter Gair, prosecuting, claimed that Broughton deliberately drove his Audi A3 at a group of pedestrians, colliding with three of them.

“He did it in revenge for an altercation which happened in the street a few moments earlier and intended to kill them,” alleged Mr Gair.

The court heard that on Saturday, March 7 Mr Littlewood, Mr Green and Mr Mann had been on a pub crawl with friends and relatives in Ipswich.

The group had ended up in the Waterlily pub in St Helen’s Street, where Broughton had also called in for a drink with a friend.

There had been no problems inside the pub but something was said as they left which led to an argument and “fisticuffs”, said Mr Gair.

He claimed that a witness saw Broughton being restrained by a friend and he was allegedly heard to say: “You don’t know who I am. You are going to pay for this.”

Broughton was led away by a man and a woman towards Regent Street and shortly afterwards he was seen to get into his car alone and drive back to St Helen’s Street.

“The car mounted the pavement and drove into the group, knocking two over and injuring a third,” alleged Mr Gair who played CCTV footage of the collision to the jury.

Following the incident, Broughton contacted the police and said he had been involved in a hit and run accident.

He claimed to have been attacked by a group of men and said that, after getting into his car, one of them had stepped out in front of him - causing to swerve and hit two of the group after mounting the kerb.

Broughton handed himself into police and was seen to have some facial injuries and an injury to his knee.

In a prepared statement to police, he denied deliberately driving at the men and claimed it was an accident.

The trial continues.