THIS is the face of a raging father who "used his car as a weapon" to mow down a group of people while laughing before driving over a teenager's body three times.

Brett Hart, 35, was sentenced to 20 years in prison yesterday at Chelmsford Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of attempted murder of one victim.

The verdict came following a two-week trial.

He was also found guilty of two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm in relation to two other victims and driving whilst disqualified and with no insurance.

He was given a further five-year sentence for each of the attempted grievous bodily harm offences and six months for the driving offences, but 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 but she was found not guilty after direction from Judge Patricia Lynch QC.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

The convictions were in relation to an incident which occurred in Elmden Court, Clacton, on August 25 last year.

Hart had smashed a Volkswagen Golf into a 17-year-old girl and two of her friends following a brawl which broke out when a group of young men confronted his son Brett Hart junior, 17, over allegations of bullying.

Hart senior joined in the row, which took place outside his home, and was said to have been seen on CCTV wielding metal baseball bats alongside his son.

During the confrontation, 17-year-old Lucia D’or moved towards the group and attempted to “calm” her friends.

At this moment Hart senior got into a Volkswagen Golf, before driving deliberately at the group of youngsters.

Having hit Lucia D’or, he then drove backwards and forwards over her body resulting in her legs reportedly being “bent in different directions” and serious life-changing injuries.

Hart, who is said to have been laughing during the shocking attack, then drove away from the scene with no regard for the welfare of his victims. 

When police arrived, they found an injured teenage girl on the ground and three other injured people – another teenage girl and two men. 

Hart was arrested and his car was seized for forensic examination. 

Hart had denied attempted murder and denied being the driver of the vehicle, at one point claiming it was actually his partner Rebecca Grant who was driving.

Last week, however, at Chelmsford Crown Court, Hart accepted he was one driving the vehicle when it struck the youngsters.

Yesterday a jury unanimously found Hart guilty of attempted murder and two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

Hart, who has 11 previous convictions for 26 offences, was subsequently given a 20 year concurrent sentence.

Speaking after the sentencing, Judge Patricia Lynch QC said: “Mr Hart you have shown little or no remorse and the jury has found in driving that car you had an intent to kill.

“The serious aspects of this case are the fact you did use your car as a weapon, you did drive it towards a group of unarmed youths and you not only struck Lucia once, but you drove over her three times and she is but 17 years of age.

“You have seen not only the pain and suffering she has had to go through but the physical affect upon her and she now, because of her disability, feels ashamed to go out and embarrassed because of what happened to her.

“Goodness knows it could have been much, much worse.”

Det Con Darren Buckingham, who led the investigation, added: “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.”