Driver ‘deliberately mowed man down’

Dad goes on trial accused of dangerous driving

A dad deliberately mowed down another man in the street in the middle of the school rush, a court heard yesterday.

Christopher Doyle, 33, is accused of hitting John Dorran after mounting the curb as children walked home from school in Paisley.

He denied a charge of dangerous driving on the first day of his trial at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Mum Stacey Thomas, 32, claims she was walking home with family when a motor bumped up on the footpath.

She said: “We had just come from Glencoats Primary School. I was walking towards my home along Ferguslie Park Avenue, it was about 3.30pm.

“We saw a car mount the pavement and knock somebody down.

“He had come out into the street and I thought he was going to the ice cream van.

“It had just driven off and it looked like he was trying to stop it.

“The car was probably about the length of the courtroom away – about 15 metres.

“I heard the thud of the boy getting knocked down.”

Prosecutor Saud Hassan asked her if there were any obstacles the car – which she says was white or silver – had to swerve by.

He asked: “Did it appear to be an accident to you?”

Ms Thomas, who was also walking with her sister, replied: “No – it had to mount the kerb.”

The witness insists she saw Mr Dorran tumble over after being hit head-on.

She continued: “I think it was his legs ... kind of his waist area. It was the front of the car, the bonnet. “He just falls to the ground. “He got up and chased the car. He nearly caught it.

“He shouted to me and my wee sister, ‘Did you see that? Do you know who that was?’

“I said I saw it ... all I saw was a blue hoodie and a beard. “I thought it was Christopher.” Ms Thomas told the court she saw the incident clearly.

But she did tell defence lawyer Bob Kerr her attention was focused on making sure her family got home.

The court also heard the accused visited a police station in his car after the alleged incident near his home in Ferguslie Park Avenue on January 10.

It is claimed the motor had a smashed windscreen, a damaged wing mirror and a scuff to a wheel arch.

The trial, before Sheriff Linda Smith, continues.