A DRINK-DRIVER tried to run over his friend after taking his car before crashing it into other vehicles in a residential street.

Justin Henshall shouted out to his pal Melusi Sithole on Newport’s Loftus Square: “Watch me come and hit you now.”

Rhodri Jones, prosecuting, said the defendant had driven off in his friend’s car after he, Mr Sithole and his girlfriend had visited Bristol.

The complainant fell asleep when they returned and confronted Henshall in the street at around 3.30am when he realised his vehicle had been taken.

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Mr Jones told Cardiff Crown Court: “The defendant drove the vehicle at speed at Mr Sithole.

“He mounted the kerb and drove in the direction of the victim who had to lunge backwards to avoid being hit.

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“This was deliberate and Mr Sithole had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.”

Henshall struck other cars in the street before the police were called.

He gave a reading of 53 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath to officers.

The legal limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

Henshall, 33, of Wolseley Street, Newport, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, drink-driving, driving without insurance and driving without a licence.

The offences took place on July 4, 2020.

Mr Jones said Henshall had previous convictions for taking a vehicle without consent and aggravated taking a vehicle without consent when he was a teenager.

James Evans, mitigating, asked the court to give the defendant, a father of three and trainee welder, credit for his guilty pleas.

He added: “This was very much out of character for my client.

“He has shown an unusual degree of remorse.

“There have been no convictions for a decade.”

The judge, Paul Hopkins QC, told Hensall: “You showed a deliberate disregard for the welfare of the complainant.

“You shouted at him, ‘Watch me come and hit you now.’ You drove at him.

“You tried, in effect, to run him over and you collided with some other vehicles and caused some damage.”

The defendant was jailed for six months, suspended for 18 months.

He must complete 19 sessions of a thinking skills programme and was made the subject of an electronically-curfew between 8pm and 6am for three months.

Henshall was banned from driving for 17 months and ordered to pass an extended driving test.

The defendant was also ordered to pay £250 costs and a victim surcharge.