Wiltshire soldier jailed after deliberately driving into pedestrians

Cameron Bailey's car mounted the pavement as he deliberately drove at a group of teenagers with whom he had been fighting earlier

A former soldier has been jailed for eight years after deliberately driving his car into a group of pedestrians.

Two teenagers required hospital treatment after Cameron Bailey mounted the pavement in Fisherton Street, Salisbury, on 27 March.

The 25-year-old, from Tidworth, had been drinking heavily before he drove at the group of young people in the evening, Salisbury Crown Court heard.

Bailey was sentenced earlier having admitting three offences.

He had previously pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm, wounding with intent and one count of dangerous driving.

'Most fearsome weapon'

He was a serving soldier at the time of the offence and since his conviction has been dismissed from the army, the court heard.

Bailey was spotted on CCTV deliberately turning his car around once he spotted the group of teenagers, driving slowly in their direction, pausing for about 21 seconds and then accelerating towards them.

He hit the group of five at a speed of at least 27mph, (43kmh) forensic analysis showed, throwing a 17-year-old girl into the air and onto the windscreen, leaving her with severe injuries to her feet and ankles.

Judge Susan Evans QC said: "In your rage you deliberately drove at (the teenagers) using your car as the most fearsome weapon against them."

Bailey drove off and was found in bed by his sergeant "reeking of alcohol" at about 11:00 BST.

Rape threat

Prosecutor Charles Gabb QC said Bailey and three fellow soldiers started off in a JD Wetherspoon pub in the village of Amesbury, where Mr Bailey drank an "unconscionable, unrealistic and ridiculous" amount of alcohol.

The four then piled into Bailey's blue Skoda and headed for Salisbury to continue a pub crawl.

After being refused entry to a pub at about 21:30 Bailey and his friends became involved in a verbal argument and a scuffle with a group of teenagers.

The groups were then forcibly separated by bouncers from nearby bars.

During the fight, Bailey was heard yelling insults of "gratuitous offensiveness" including threatening to rape their sisters and kill their mothers, Salisbury Crown Court heard.

Shortly after, the group left Salisbury and returned to the barracks with Bailey at the wheel, and that is when he spotted the group of teenagers in Fisherton Street.

Bailey was further convicted of assaulting his ex-partner on the same evening by grabbing her around the throat, and was given an eight-month sentence suspended for two years for that offence.