A NETHERTON drink driver has been jailed for nearly four years after he assaulted his ex-girlfriend before trying to mow down a peacemaker outside a Stourbridge bar.

Lee Pritchard, aged 21, had got involved in an argument with his former partner Natasha Brookes outside Lloyds Bar in High Street, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

He then head butted her, leaving her with cuts to her lips, said Michael Lester, prosecuting.

When Adam Smith tried to intervene, Pritchard got into a stolen VW Golf and drove down High Street for a few yards before reversing towards a crowd of people - forcing them to jump out of the way.

The court heard Pritchard then drove onto the pavement at Mr Smith, who was stuck between the car and a wall in what was a totally unprovoked attack.

Pritchard then made his escape but the car was spotted a short time later by patrolling police officers and after a pursuit, in which he crashed into a parked vehicle, he was arrested.

Stephen Hamblett, defending, said there was bad feeling between Pritchard and Miss Brookes and he maintained she had been assaulted when she approached him in the VW.

He had not gone out looking for trouble stressed Mr Hamblett, who described the events in the early hours as “an isolated incident”.

Mr Hamblett said Pritchard - a man with 14 previous convictions on his criminal record - had now “seen the light at the end of the tunnel” and he was determined to put his life in order, adding: “He knows he needs to grow up.”

Pritchard, of Gloucester Road, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, aggravated vehicle taking and driving with excess alcohol and without a licence or insurance.

Judge Amjad Nawaz told Pritchard it was clear he had used the vehicle - stolen two days earlier in a burglary - as a weapon and it was only good fortune that Mr Smith had not been seriously injured.

The judge said Mr Smith had done nothing more than try and stop Pritchard from leaving the scene outside the bar but he had then made a determined bid to run him down.

Mr Smith was knocked into the air but mercifully suffered only minor injuries, said the judge who added: “This was sustained violence on your part when you were befuddled by drink.”

He sent the father-of-one to prison for 46 months and disqualified him from driving for three years.