A man has been jailed for 20 years after he deliberately drove a car at four people, seriously injuring two of them

Thanks to the tireless work of our detectives, Brett Hart, of Elmden Court, Clacton, was jailed yesterday after being found guilty of attempted murder in relation to one victim. He was also found guilty of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent in relation to two further victims and driving whilst disqualified and with no insurance. The 38-year-old was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the attempted murder and was given a further five-year sentence for each of the attempted grievous bodily harm offences and six months for the driving offences. Each sentence will run concurrently. Hart’s co-defendant and partner, Rebecca Grant, of Mendlesham Close, Clacton, was also on trial for perverting the course of justice. She was found not guilty after direction from the Judge. On the evening of 25 August, 2020, we were called to Hart’s house in Elmden Court after reports of several people armed with baseball bats trying to get into his house to attack him. When police arrived, they found an injured teenage girl on the ground and three other injured people – another teenage girl and two men. As the victims tried to leave the area, Hart got into the driver’s seat of a VW Golf and drove towards one of the teenagers, accelerating at speed, before clipping her legs with such force that she spun round and fell to the ground. The Golf then hit one of the men on his back causing him to roll over the bonnet before striking the second female on the back of her legs. As she collapsed, Hart reversed the car, hitting her a second time, forcing her under the car where she lay screaming for help. The second man who had gone to her aid was also struck by the car being driven by Hart who was heard laughing. Hart drove away from the scene with no regard for the welfare of his victims. He was arrested and his car was seized for forensic examination. Hart was found guilty after a two-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court and was sentenced on Monday 19 April. Detective Constable Darren Buckingham, who led the investigation, said: “This was a horrific, deliberate attempt by Hart to seriously hurt four people, and will have a lasting impact on the victims, both mentally and physically. He had no regard for his victims and has been punished for his actions. “Hart was not someone who needed to be protected, but needed to be brought to justice and thankfully this is the case.”