'Jealous' man jailed after driving car at his girlfriend and best friend in Yorkshire nightclub car park

A 20-year-old man from North Yorkshire has been jailed after deliberately driving his car at his girlfriend and best friend following a drunken argument.

Cole Swift, of Holme on Swale near Thirsk, was at Club Amadeus in Northallerton in July 2021 when he got into a dispute with Courtney Cuthbert and Rio Pullen about his then-girlriend's clothing.

He left the club, but got behind the wheel of his VW Golf and drove at both victims in the car park and side road several times, striking them with the vehicle. Miss Cuthbert suffered a broken foot and Mr Pullen a fractured thumb.

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Mr Swift pleaded guilty to two counts of GBH with intent at Teesside Crown Court today and was sent to prison for 16 months - with the judge admitting that only his young age had prevented a longer sentence.

Cole Swift, 20Cole Swift, 20
Cole Swift, 20
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At the time of the offence, Mr Swift was already the subject of a community order imposed for a previous assault on an emergency worker.

The court was played CCTV footage which showed the Golf driving at the pair at speed and of Mr Swift performing three-point turns at either end of the car park to return to the victims, who were 'shunted' during the incident.

Mr Swift was arrested in Colburn, was abusive to police officers and refused to provide a roadside breath sample.

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Miss Cuthbert told police the incident arose out of her then-boyfriend's jealousy, but she has since forgiven him and did not support the prosecution.

However, Rio Pullen asked for a restraining order to be imposed and said he had become depressed at the end of their friendship. He had moved out of the area.

Mr Swift's defence counsel said his client had lost his job as a result of an interim driving ban since the incident, but that employment was 'readily available' should he avoid prison. Testimonials from his employers were provided but were not read to the court.

"He accepts and recognises the trauma and upset he has caused. He is a very young man who has damaged three lives. Young men mature slowly and he would have developed a career were it not for this.

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Sentencing, Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Paul Watson said: "CCTV captured graphically and alarmingly what happened. You had a good deal to drink and drove at considerable speed, coming back for another try. Both victims were seriously hurt and this was a disgraceful episode aggravated by you driving off. Your only thought was for yourself.

"You have not reached full emotional maturity and if you were older, the starting point for custody would be three years. Bearing in mind your age, I am going to take an exceptional course and move out of the sentencing guidelines to two years, reduced to 16 months because of your guilty pleas."