A FATHER “swore on his kid’s life” to police that no-one was run over by his partner’s car, a court heard.

Brett Hart, 35, denies attempted murder after a Volkswagen Golf smashed into a 17-year-old girl, and two of her friends, in Elmden Court, Clacton, in August last year.

A jury at Chelmsford Crown Court heard a police interview was conducted with Hart, during which he repeatedly and firmly denied being the driver of the Golf in question.

Hart has now accepted he was, in fact, the driver when the car struck the three youngsters.

But during the interview, he said he arrived at Elmden Court to find a group trying to kick in the door to his house.

He said he rushed to help his son, Brett Hart junior, and told police he had wielded a metal bet to prevent anyone from attacking him.

He described the confrontation as a “life or death situation.”

Read more: Clacton attempted murder trial: 'Car scattered people like bowling pins'

He told police he jumped in the passenger seat of the Golf while the group continued to deliver blows to the car.

Hart said his partner, Rebecca Grant, was the one to drive away from the scene.

When he was told an independent witness had seen him drive at a crowd of people and hit a female three times, Hart said: “No, no, no – I promise you, like I said I’m not like that, I’m not that kind of person.

“I would not hit someone and then drive off intentionally and leave them, I would make sure they were alright.”

Later in the interview Hart, who was banned from driving at the time of the incident, said: “I wasn’t driving the car. It’s in her name, it’s insured in her name.

“She was in the car, pulled up, dropped me off, I’ve jumped back in the car for her to drive off.

“I promise you on my kid’s life, no-one was run over, no-one hit the windscreen, no-one rolled over the car.”

Hart denies attempted murder, causing grievous bodily harm, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and five counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.

Rebecca Grant, 38, of Mendlesham Close, Clacton, denies perverting the course of justice by initially claiming to police she had been the driver of the Volkswagen Golf.

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