Moment Bournemouth dad runs over ex-girlfriend to try and 'intimidate her'

• Watch the moment Owen Henton runs over his ex-girlfriend's foot

A dad ran over his ex-girlfriend’s foot with his car after dropping off their child in Bournemouth, in a bid to “intimidate her”, a court has heard.

Owen Henton, 22, was at his Ferndown flat when he was caring for his then seven-month-old daughter, and decided he was unable to look after her on the afternoon of May 12, 2021.Bournemouth Crown Court heard how Henton called his ex-girlfriend and mother of their child who agreed to look after her if he dropped her off at her home in Bournemouth. Upon parking nearby her home, their daughter was taken out of his Volkswagen Golf and taken inside by her grandmother.

But Henton suddenly drove away and knocked the victim and pushchair into a nearby bush. When he turned around in the cul-de-sac, he drove on to the pavement and ran over his ex-partner with the front left tyre.

Prosecutor Stuart Ellacott explained how Henton had previously been in a relationship with the victim of this incident and there were ongoing discussions about visitation days to see the child.

He said: “The defendant contacted her to say he was having issues with their daughter and wanted to return her. He returned with her at 3pm. She (the victim) describes having taken the daughter from the car, who was handed over to the grandmother who went into the home.

"She went to get the pushchair from the car and as she was walking past, he drove away and his side of the car knocked the pushchair and her into the bush. The defendant had turned around in the cul-de-sac and as he’s driving, appears to come up on the kerb and catches her right foot with the wheel and continues on.”

Footage of the incident, which was broadcast to the courtroom, showed the victim struck by the car and stumble forward. Henton stopped before he drove away as his ex limped into her house.

Mr Ellacott explained how the victim went into hospital for a scan on her leg, which revealed no fracture to the foot or ankle, but just bruising. She wore a supportive boot for an undisclosed period of time.

While Mr Ellacott admitted there were minor levels of harm given the bruising, Judge Jonathan Fuller noted Henton made a “deliberate decision to drive towards her” and believed he hoped “part of the car would cause injury”.

Owen Louis Henton, of Wimborne Road East in Ferndown, aged 22, pleaded guilty to a lesser offence of common assault after previously being charged with actual bodily harm.

Defending, Robert Grey, said Henton was remorseful of his actions but noted that the Volkswagen Golf was being driven at a slow speed. He said: “The speed of the car was quite slow and he didn’t take sufficient care. He was reckless and he was too close to her foot.”

Sentencing, Judge Fuller, told Henton he was “clearly in something of a state because of what you did” and called his actions on the day “reckless”.

He said: “When she was handed to her grandmother and while the victim was removing the pushchair, you decided to drive into her and pushchair into the bush.

“You then drove out, turned around in the cul-de-sac and having seen the footpath, what you then did was when she was walking back to her home, you mounted the pavement and caught her foot and the tyre went over her foot. Fortunately, there were no fractures but instead some bruising.“Your actions that day were designed to intimidate her and I have no doubt about that. You have something of a temper about you.”Henton was issued a 12-month community order and ordered to undertake 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 80 hours of unpaid work.

He was also issued a three-year restraining order and ordered to pay £200 in court costs.