An ex-soldier has been jailed for eight years after deliberately driving at pedestrians in Fisherton Street after a confrontation earlier the same night.

Appearing in Salisbury Crown Court today (Friday, May 27), Cameron David Bailey, 25, of Mooltan Barracks, Tidworth, was also disqualified from driving for seven years.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding with intent, and dangerous driving.

Bailey was a serving soldier at the time but the army has since dispensed of his services.

Prosecuting, Charles Gabb told the court that at lunchtime on the day of the incident - Sunday, March 27 - he was out with three fellow soldiers, and was the designated driver of the vehicle, a blue Skoda Octavia.

After drinking in Amesbury, the group then set off to Salisbury for a pub crawl.

The court was told that Bailey had consumed somewhere between five or six pitchers in total, and had just been drinking and not eating.

He then went on to consume a further two beers and a Jagerbomb - a "ridiculous amount" of alcohol, according to Mr Gabb - and was then refused entry to another pub.

The four men then came across a group of younger people aged around 17, who also appeared to have been drinking.

Bailey or one of his friends shouted out at one of the victims, who "reacted adversely" to it, and there was "some kind of confrontation".

Bailey was heard to be muttering some "foul threats of extreme violence", including threats to rape their sister, and a fight broke out, which a security man from a nearby pub helped break up.

The court was told that the male who was later to be a victim of the incident may have pushed Bailey.

The groups then came across each other a second time, but there was a verbal exchange of words without violence.

According to CCTV footage, at around nine o'clock that night, Bailey's car emerged from a side road - Summerlock Approach, next to Baileys of Salisbury - and turned left onto Fisherton Street, where the same group of teenagers were walking on the pavement.

Bailey, driving the group of soldiers in the car, deliberately turned his car around after spotting that it was the same group he had encountered earlier. 

"He had convinced himself that these people had to be taught a lesson," the prosecution said.

He stopped behind a car in the street, close to the victims, and waited for 21 seconds, watching them.

The footage shows him waiting behind the car, before accelerating to 27 miles per hour, according to forensic evidence, mounting the curb, and hitting two of the teenagers.

His car was used as an "appalling weapon", Mr Gabb said, and according to a witness, the car “knocked them over like skittles”.

He then drove back to his garrison, went to his room and got into bed, where police later found him – “reeking of alcohol”, according to the judge – after identifying the registered keeper of the car.

He was arrested that night and interviewed the following morning, where he gave an untruthful account to the police and said he had not intended to hit anyone.

Two teenagers were taken to hospital following the incident.

The car hit a 17-year-old girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons. She was thrown into the air and made impact with the windscreen.

There was damage to her front teeth, and serious injuries to her heels and ankles.

The teenager, who is a student, spent four days in hospital and underwent many operations.

Another teenager was also knocked down and left with lacerations to the head which required stitches, leaving a scar.

The court heard that Bailey made no attempt to stop. “It was a deliberate, determined attack and he probably thought they deserved it,” Mr Gabb said.

He added that it was “a complete mercy for all involved” that the injuries were not more severe, as Bailey “could be facing much more serious charges”.

Defending Bailey, David Richards said that Bailey “did not start the confrontation” earlier that night, but what he then did was “quite frankly beyond the pale”.

He added that he appears to “come across as a generally decent person”, but has an issue with alcohol, and he has had some mental health issues, as well as a “difficult relationship with anger”.

He has since taken “positive steps” to address these.

“I ask your honour to accept his remorse,” Mr Richards added.

Judge Susan Evans QC described it as a “senseless and shocking piece of behaviour”, which had an “element of revenge” to it.

Speaking to Bailey to sentence him, she added: "It is to your credit that you are trying to make good use of your time in custody".

Bailey was first arrested on suspicion of attempted murder on March 28, but the charge later changed to grievous bodily harm with intent.

He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, on April 22, when he was disqualified from driving.

Bailey also received a seven-year concurrent driving disqualification and must take an extended re-test before driving again.

Speaking following the sentence, Detective Constable Luke Taylor, said: “I hope the sentence handed to Bailey today gives his victims some comfort and will help them move on from their ordeal.

“The fact that Bailey took the decision to use his car as a weapon and deliberately drove it at a group of people demonstrates a shocking disregard as to the consequences of his actions. 

“And to compound this, he drove away from the scene, leaving two teenagers with physical injuries that required hospital treatment and mental scars that may take longer to heal.

“I would like to pay tribute to the victims and witnesses who supported this investigation and played a key role in bringing Bailey to justice.”

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