Nottinghamshire dad who deliberately drove at drunk then messaged to say 'I might go to prison, LOL'

And his text message came true

A Nottinghamshire dad deliberately drove his car at and hit a pub-goer who had wound him up and enraged him. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Ricky Kay “had the opportunity to drive away” but instead decided to strike the victim “not once but twice” after the man punched his windscreen.

The 29-year-old then sent a message to someone which read “I might go to prison LOL”. And when the police arrived at the scene the victim told them he was “an enforcer” for the notorious Gunn family of Bestwood.

Jailing him for 27 months, Judge Steve Coupland said: “I accept that you were not out looking for trouble that day and that trouble came knocking for you. But it has to be said despite him being a nuisance that did not excuse you for choosing to do what you did.

“You had every opportunity to drive off. I accept what happened came from a short loss of temper as a result of his actions but what you chose to do was drive at him at speed not just once but twice.

Get the latest news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsApp

“What you did with the car was dangerous behaviour and dangerous in terms of the injuries it could have caused. But you accept (by your guilty plea) you intended to cause him really serious injury.

“It is incredibly lucky for you and him that he received only minor injuries compared to what he might have. The courts cannot tolerate behaviour like this.”

Gareth Gimson, prosecuting, said the incident took place outside the Devonshire Arms, in Sutton-in-Ashfield, on May 3, this year. He said the victim was in there with his dog and after a few drinks was asked to leave as there were verbal conflicts between him and some of the other drinkers.

The prosecutor said outside the boozer, the man began to “shadow box” and continued to make a nuisance of himself and at some point Kay, who was not known to the man, attempted to leave in his car but the victim got in the way and punched his windscreen. Mr Gimson said: “That was his (Kay’s) opportunity to go but his anger got the better of him.

“(The victim) had goaded him and the balloon went up. Mr Kay drove at him and hit him, there are no two ways about it, that’s what he did.

“He struck him a glancing blow but Mr Kay drove back at him again, he tried to get out of the way but the vehicle struck him again.”

The prosecutor said Kay, of Stoneyford Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, drove off and the police arrived. He said: “Officers attended and the victim told them he was an enforcer for the notorious Gunn family.

“Kay was interviewed and gave no replies but text messages which were later recovered, quite frankly, do him no favours. One read ‘I might go to prison LOL’.”

The defendant pleaded guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and has a number of previous convictions but nothing since 2016.

Matt Smith, mitigating, said his client cares for four children aged between three and 12, some of which the defendant is the father of. He said: “It is an unusual case and he describes his reaction, in the pre-sentence report, as ‘an act of stupidity’.

“He recognises it was a highly dangerous manoeuvre and the consequences could have been more serious.”

As well as the jail term, the judge disqualified Kay from driving for three years.