Mum and son rammed driver out of revenge, jury told

5 hours ago

Lewis Adamsat Southend Crown Court

News image — Hollie Dance is the mother of Archie Battersbee - pictured at court last year - whose death made global headlines in 2022

Stuart Woodward/BBC Hollie Dance leaving Southend Crown Court wearing a black coat. She has long blonde hair. — Hollie Dance is the mother of Archie Battersbee - pictured at court last year - whose death made global headlines in 2022

A mother and son hellbent on revenge rammed a driver off the road after chasing him for 13 miles (21km), a court heard.

Prosecutors allege that Hollie Dance, her son Thomas Summers, and a third man - Rhys Bentley - were angered by an altercation that had happened involving a woman in Westcliff-on-Sea on 10 October 2022.

Later that evening, the victim's car was allegedly smashed with a baseball bat before he was forced into a tree and run over in Basildon.

The defendants, all from Southend and aged 50, 26 and 25 respectively, have denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent at their trial at Southend Crown Court.

Dance is the mother of Archie Battersbee, whose life support was switched off after a legal battle that attracted global attention in 2022.

Prosecutor Richard Scott said she, Summers and Bentley drove to find their victim in Meteor Road at about 20:45 BST.

A relative claimed to have been slighted by him.

Scott alleged Dance "stalked" the victim in her BMW, with Summers and Bentley following in a second car.

When the victim stopped at a red light in Kenilworth Gardens, his car was boxed in by Summers and Bentley, the court heard.

"One of those who participated in the act was armed with a baseball bat," Scott said.

Lewis Adams/BBC The entrance to Southend Crown Court. It is a cream, two-storey building that has lots of windows and is protected by a black metal fence. There is a grey pavement and a tree in front of the building. — The three defendants are on trial at Southend Crown Court

Scott told the jury that to "shake off" his pursuers, the victim drove along the A127 to Basildon and made an "increasingly frantic" call to the police.

However, he was allegedly rammed into a tree in Uppermayne by Dance's BMW, before being mowed down by Summers's rented Toyota while trying to escape on foot.

Scott said he dislocated and fractured his shoulder in the crash and that Dance remained at the scene, where she was arrested.

Police found an "incapacitant spray" with Dance's DNA on it nearby - jurors were told - before they later linked Summers and Bentley to the alleged attack.

All three defendants deny causing the victim grievous bodily harm with intent and causing him serious injury by dangerous driving.

Summers and Bentley also deny affray, while Summers has pleaded not guilty to possessing a baseball bat in public.

Dance has denied possessing the so-called incapacitant spray.

The trial continues.

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