Colin Readshaw drove his Peugeot after a 16-year-old boy, smashed through gates into his garden where his toddler sister had been playing
A motorist is in prison today after he drove into a garden where a tot had just been playing.
Colin Readshaw, 22, drove his Peugeot at a 16-year-old boy on a field in Middlesbrough.
There had been a background of trouble between the two with an incident the previous day, Teesside Crown Court heard.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was in the field with friends when Readshaw arrived in his car.
The boy threw a brick at the car, thinking it would be driven at him, at about 12.30pm on September 28 last year.
Readshaw then drove the car at the boy, “clearly aiming the vehicle at him”, said prosecutor Martin Towers today.
The teenager ran to his home, where children were playing into the front yard, including his toddler sister.
The boy picked her up and quickly took her into the house as the car came towards them.
It smashed through the gates, knocking them off their hinges as it came right up towards the house, said Mr Towers.
He repeatedly reversed the vehicle down the drive then back to the house again, spinning his wheels.
He drove at the boy’s father at one point, and hit a bicycle propped against a wall.
The bike was still enmeshed in the Peugeot as Readshaw finally drove away, throwing bricks at the house.
No one was injured. There was damage to the gates, bike and house brickwork.
Readshaw, of Brough Court, Grove Hill , Middlesbrough, was arrested three days later.
He denied being at the scene, but he was identified several times as the driver.
He admitted attempted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, dangerous driving and affray.
He had 62 previous convictions including assaults, public disorder, burglary, vehicle taking and Asbo breaches.
Yvonne Taylor, defending, said: “He’s a troubled young man. He’s only 22. He has an awful lot of growing up to do.”
She said he was extremely emotional when he owned up, and did regret his actions.
She added: “He feels sorry for the upset he must have caused. He understands he would have created fear or distress.
“He does not want the victims or the community to continue to feel this.”
She said there was a background between him and the 16-year-old boy, and the incident brought matters to a head.
Readshaw hoped his prison term would put a stop to it, had a five-year-old son and had “immense support” from his family.
Judge George Moorhouse jailed Readshaw for two years, below the three to five years suggested by the defence.
He said Readshaw was provoked by the brick thrown at the car, showed remorse and there was no premeditation.
A 17-year-old girl from Middlesbrough, who cannot be named, was a passenger in the car.
She admitted a public order offence after she went into the house’s garden swearing.
The judge said her involvement was “minimal” and gave her a six-month referral order.
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