A pair accused of running over another man in an act of revenge after a pub brawl denied they drove into him at all in their police interviews, a court has heard.
Three friends - Nathan Baker, Daniel Hermon and Lewis Aldridge - are on trial accused of the attempted murder of Julian Johnson, who was found with serious injuries in London Road in Beccles at about 3am on November 18 last year.
Ipswich Crown Court previously heard Mr Johnson, 53, was attacked after acting as a "peacemaker" in a brawl that night outside the Kings Head Hotel, the town’s Wetherspoon pub.
On Monday, the police interviews with Baker, 19, of Quay Street, Halesworth, and Hermon, 26, of Market Place, Southwold, were read out to the court.
Both denied they had driven over Mr Johnson.
The court also heard Hermon’s account of the earlier fight, which happened while he was drinking with Baker.
He said: “Nathan was 'cheap-shotted'. Someone came behind him and we still don’t know why that incident occurred.
“Then I got hit. That’s when I went down, and someone stomped on my ankle. I don’t think I was knocked out and then I hit back.”
He recalled Mr Johnson standing above him after he fell but added he thought it was someone else who hit him.
“It seemed weird he was part of it because of the age difference," Hermon said, referring to Mr Johnson.
He said the two of them got to Baker’s car and the attackers followed them out, punching the car’s windows as they drove off.
According to Hermon they later drove around the area.
“We just wanted to find out what happened. I don’t understand why it all kicked off,” he said.
Hermon said they got out of the car when they saw Mr Johnson walking so they could ask him what had happened. Mr Johnson took a step back and put his arm behind his back.
Hermon said he then shoved Mr Johnson and Baker punched him in the face, then they got back in the car and drove off.
“I don’t remember feeling any sort of bump," Hermon said.
Mr Johnson suffered fractures across his body, which the doctors who treated him said were consistent with being run over by a car.
Hermon later said he tried to grab the steering wheel to stop Baker driving over Mr Johnson.
In Baker’s account to police, he said Mr Johnson had tried to grab a friend of his called Benny through the car window so he got out and punched him.
Baker denied running over Mr Johnson.
Aldridge, 27, of Market Place, Southwold, gave no comment when interviewed, the court previously heard.
The trial continues.
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