Road rage driver who deliberately mowed down six men following Cleckheaton Christmas party is jailed for 30 years

"Dangerous" Andrew Wrigglesworth used his red Audi A4 as a weapon in an "act of revenge" and ploughed into the group on Bradford Road, Cleckheaton, after the party at a nearby working men's club on December 22 last year.

Leeds Crown Court heard how the 50-year-old father had become involved in a dispute outside Moorlands WMC and was punched in the face, a blow which led to him becoming "incensed" with fury and had to be restrained.

Witnesses heard Wrigglesworth say, "I'm going to f***ing kill them...I'm going to run them over", and while the remarks were judged by onlookers as "bravado", he then got into his car and drove towards the group at around 35mph, mounting the pavement and hitting six men in an attack captured on CCTV.

Three of the victims were seriously injured in the collision receiving fractured ribs and a skull fracture, with one man very seriously hurt and left needing rehabilitation for six months.

The 43-year-old Cleckheaton man, who was a friend of Wrigglesworth's, suffered a head injury in the attack which the court heard has left his cognitive abilities impaired and meant he has not been able to work since.

Following the attack, Wrigglesworth then drove back to his home in Birstall and was arrested shortly later. The court heard he had made no attempt to contact emergency services after hitting the group with his car.

Wrigglesworth, of Shirley Avenue, pleaded not guilty to six counts of attempted murder, claiming he had lost control of his car and suggesting his drink had been spiked, but was convicted by a jury at Leeds Crown Court in August this year.

Almost one year on from the attack, he was sentenced today (Wednesday) where he was told by a judge his attack had been "pre-meditated" and "an act of revenge" in order to "deliberately mow down the group".

Sentencing Wrigglesworth, Judge Tom Bayliss QC said: "You were, in my judgement, in complete control of your car and you knew exactly what you were doing.

"One of the victims was catapulted onto the car windscreen which was smashed. Your car was momentarily slowed by the force of the impact but then you continued on your way at high speed.

"You completely ignored the badly injured people strewn in the road at that junction."

Abdul Iqbal QC, for Wrigglesworth, told the court his client has no recent convictions or any which involved serious violence and that his intentions when getting involved in the dispute had initially been "honourable" as he "seemed to be assisting two females complaining of some kind of sexual or physical assault".

However, the court also heard the defendant had previously deliberately driven his car at his brother following a dispute, in an incident which bore "striking" similarity.

Judge Bayliss added: "I am satisfied you are to be categorised currently as dangerous. I've reached that conclusion independently of the incident involving your brother."

Wrigglesworth was sentenced to 30 years in prison for six counts of attempted murder, to run concurrently, and was told he would serve a minimum of 20 years. He was also disqualified from driving for life.

Following the sentence, Detective Inspector Andrew Cass from West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “This was an absolutely horrendous offence and we welcome the strong sentence handed down to Wrigglesworth today.

“It is barely conceivable that someone would attempt to carry out such an outrageous and brutal act, especially against their own colleagues.

“His actions resulted in six men being literally mowed down with one man receiving injuries which will stay with him for the rest of his life."