Councillor ‘drove at love rival when he discovered wife’s affair’
Ian Spiller, 36, denies causing serious injury by dangerous driving
COURT TOLD HE ‘REVVED HIS AUDI’ AND MOUNTED KERB:
A COUNCILLOR from Bridgend mowed down a love rival in his car after finding out he was having an affair with his wife, a court has heard.
Ian Spiller, 36, is accused of accelerating to mount a kerb towards Karl Davies, 39, after seeing him walking along a pavement with his wife.
The court heard fatherof-two Spiller – a Liberal Democrat councillor for Laleston Community Council – allegedly revved his Audi A5 towards Mr Davies after seeing the couple together.
Spiller and wife Vicky, 35, had been married for 10 years before splitting up – but the pair still lived in the same home.
Spiller, of Carn Wen, Broadlands, Bridgend, denies dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Prosecutor Christopher Rees said Spiller – who led a campaign for road safety in their home village of Laleston in Bridgend county – drove at his victim after becoming jealous after she met the new man.
Mr Rees said: “Mr Davies remembers nothing more than a white flash and a scream.
“Mrs Spiller noticed that her husband’s car was driving behind them at what she thought was some speed.
“Spiller deliberately mounted the pavement to drive at Mr Davies, the man he had just found out was having an affair with his wife.”
The court heard Mr Spiller allegedly used an app to access all of his wife’s texts – and track down their location before running Mr Davies down with his car.
Newport Crown Court heard Mr Davies was knocked unconscious and suffered a fractured skull.
Mr Rees said: “Spiller had contacted Mrs Spiller and told her that he was now aware that they were having a sexual affair.
“That was his belief. Apparently he downloaded some sort of app which allowed him to get access to Mrs Spiller’s texts.”
The court heard Spiller accelerated to mount a kerb towards Mr Davies on February 11, 2017.
Mr Rees said: “Mrs Spiller’s account is that the car hit and pushed him into some bushes a couple of feet behind him.
“Spiller then reversed the car and as he did so, Mr Davies punched the side passenger window – he had been deliberately driven into.
“Spiller continued to drive away and Mr Davies was being dragged on the road.”
The court heard Mr Davies was left unconscious on the floor, “blowing bubbles from his mouth”, after being hit on the roadside in Bridgend.
Mr Spiller told police he did not deliberately target Mr Davies and he was forced to swerve to avoid him when he was driving along the road.
Spiller – whose sisterin-law Holly Crawford was in the front passenger seat – said Mr Davies grabbed her by the throat and he revved the car to get away from him.
Mr Davies told a jury on Tuesday he has no memory of being hit – and described a “flash of white” as the last thing he saw.
Before the alleged car attack, Mrs Spiller and Mr Davies were at a pub watching a rugby match together, and he was walking her home just after 8pm.
He said: “I didn’t realise there was tension between them.
“I planned just to walk her to the top of the street, then I was going to head back home myself.”
He said: “I remember walking to the end of the cycle path and I turned left. I turned left, still on the phone, all I can remember was a white flash.”
Mr Davies was left with a fractured eye socket, a broken jaw, nose, cheek bones and brain injuries, the court heard. He also said that he has lost some hearing following the alleged attack.
Spiller started a group called the “A48: Make It Safe campaign”, after a 16-year-old schoolboy was hit by a motorbike and killed.
The trial continues.