A JEALOUS mechanic who kicked his pregnant ex in the stomach and used her mobile phone to lure her new partner to a Blackburn street ended up mowing him down on the pavement.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Mark Antony Samuel Findlay snuck into the former home of his former partner in Whalley New Road, Blackburn, on June 16.

When she arrived back from the shop at around noon with her two young daughters the victim was unaware Findlay, 28, of Countess Street, Accrington, was in her home.

Prosecuting, Lisa Worsley said that while the victim was on her mobile phone the kitchen door swung open and she saw Findlay in the doorway.

He then demanded to know who she was talking to and attempted to grab the phone.

There was then a struggle and Findlay slapped the victim in the face, causing her to bang her head on the cupboard and fall to the floor.

Findlay then kicked the woman, who was three months pregnant, in the stomach.

Ms Worsley said the victim managed to get to her feet and noticed a number of teeth had been knocked out.

As she tried to escape Findlay pulled his victim back and continued to assault her.

He then demanded she call her new boyfriend at the time, Kamran Ali, before headbutting her.

Taking the victim's phone, Findlay then went into the back yard and jumped over the wall.

When the victim went to escape with her daughters to a nearby relative's house they saw the defendant driving in a Vauxhall Corsa repeatedly at speed passed their front door.

The court heard the Corsa was next seen in St James's Road, Blackburn, later the same day.

Ms Worsley said Findlay had lured Mr Ali, who has a degenerative eye condition, to the area after messaging him off his estranged wife's phone.

As he got to the bottom of the road Mr Ali heard the screeching of tyres and then recalls being thrown into the air and landing on the ground. Mr Ali turned back to see an old Corsa leaving the scene.

Ms Worsley said eyewitnesses described how the Corsa mounted the pavement before hitting Mr Ali, who rolled off the bonnet and onto the floor.

Mr Ali went to Royal Blackburn Hospital for treatment but was not seriously injured.

The Corsa was later seen being driven in Rosewood Avenue, Blackburn, by Findlay with a broken windscreen.

At around 1pm the same day the car was found by two police officers on fire. Arson investigators ruled it had been set alight deliberately.

Findlay was arrested outside his son's school in Nelson. His estranged wife's phone was found in the back of the taxi he had taken there.

In her victim personal statement Findlay's estranged wife, who has since moved house, said she was concerned for her safety after the assault, suffered nightmares and feared the defendant would come and get her.

After a trial Findlay was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, theft, dangerous driving, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, arson and perverting the course of justice.

Defending, Peter Killen said his client had used his time on remand to complete a number of education courses.

Mr Killen said: "He has his own difficulties. He was caring for his own son who has ADHD and doing that job well. His estranged wife describes him as a good dad. He has a positive side to him. His role as a father and his employment."

Judge Ian Leeming QC jailed Findlay for seven years and three months but stopped short of deeming him a dangerous offender.

Judge Leeming said: "I have been troubled by this case. At the end of the day i think it doesn't cross the threshold of the dangerousness criteria set out in the act."

Findlay was banned from driving for six years and a half years and must take an extended re-test.

Judge Leeming also imposed indefinite restraining orders banning Findlay from contacting either victim.