Jealous Chesterfield boyfriend deliberately knocked woman over with car

Minutes before, already-banned driver Andrei Ungureanu, 24, had shown up in Chesterfield town centre demanding his girlfriend leave friends she was out drinking with and return home with him.

Ungureanu hit his partner’s male friend “repeatedly and aggressively” when a fight broke out between the two and then got behind the wheel, deliberately knocking a woman who was arguing with him over.

Recorder Richard McConaghy told the defendant: “On May 8 last year you drove a car you were not insured to drive into the middle of Chesterfield to collect your girlfriend at the time.

"You were banned from driving any motor vehicle but that did not bother you in the slightest.

"You were not happy that (your partner) had stayed out drinking when you went home”.

Although the judge noted it was not clear whether or not the defendant was the initial aggressor as the fight with another male at the scene broke out he said “it’s quite clear that what you did to him went way in excess of self-defence”.

However, the judge added: “That pales into insignificance compared to what you did next – you clearly had an exchange (with the female victim) and you were sworn at.

"You got into your car and started the engine, you drove the car turning hard left, driving straight into (the complainant).

"She ended up on the floor underneath you car – you came to a halt (with the complainant) underneath your car – you went forward twice, bouncing over her leg.”

The court heard Ungureanu then fled the scene, parking his car at home before going off to work at a Chesterfield car wash.

His female victim was left with a double-fractured ankle.

Ungureanu, of St Helens Street, Chesterfield, was found guilty at a trial of grievous bodily harm, assault by beating and dangerous driving.

He admitted driving whilst disqualified and driving uninsured.

The defendant was jailed for two-and-a-half years and banned from driving for three years with an extended ban of 15 months.

Rebecca Coleman, defending Ungureanu, said her client was “incredibly sorry” and the incident was “born out of a desire to collect his partner”.

She added: “There was no intention to fight with (the complainant), nor to cause (the other complainant) any harm.”