A man deliberately drove his car at a woman during a large fight in Blackburn.

Louie Crook, 22, also admitted to assault by beating having delivered multiple blows to Samantha Gould during the fight in Fosse Street.

The incident initially began at the Bees Knees bar in Darwen on June 7 when Ms Gould and her partner Amber Holden were approached by Phoebe Carroll and Crook.

An argument broke out between Carroll and Ms Holden and in the aftermath, Crook grabbed Ms Gould and punched her.

Crook and Carroll were both removed from the bar by security staff, while Ms Gould and Ms Holden got an Uber back to Blackburn.

As they entered the taxi they saw a dark blue Ford Fiesta outside, which began to follow them.

As they exited the Uber in Blackburn, Crook, driving the Fiesta, pulled up behind them.

Keira Shaw, prosecuting at Preston Crown Court on Thursday (October 3), said at this point Carroll shouted, ‘come on then, do you still want to go,’ and another fight commenced.

During the fight, Crook grabbed Ms Gould by her hair and pulled her to the floor before going on to punch and kick her.

Ms Shaw also said Crook had been heard shouting, ‘I’m going to stab you all’.

A CCTV clip played in court, lasting around five minutes, showed the fight and the moment Crook got back into his car, reversed back, and then sped towards Ms Holden’s mother, who had come to assist.

She was left with a large bruise on her thigh which did not fade for around four weeks.

Crook and Carroll were both arrested a short time after the incident. Crook answered no comment to all questions.

Amy Weir, for Crook, said there was “no excuse for violence and no excuse for driving in that manner.

She said: “The defendant appeared genuinely upset at his actions this morning when speaking to him at a pre-hearing conference.

“He recognises how reckless and stupid he was. He knows he should’ve walked away from it and regrets not doing so.

“It’s my submission that this was a moment of madness and one he deeply regrets.”

Crook, of Earnsdale Road, Darwen, had no previous convictions, the court heard.

Judge Guy Mathieson, sentencing, said: “What I understand is everybody involved acted disgracefully.

"It’s quite clear there were any number of opportunities for everyone to de-escalate the matter.

“Your girlfriend gets out of the car and the other two take their jackets off for a fight. Round 2, ding ding.

“You react again, stupidly driving into one of the people. It’s self-evident it could have been so much more serious than just a bruise to the thigh.

“I make plain, there could have been six people in that dock but because you went further than anyone else that’s why you’re here.”

Crook was given an 18-month community order with 300 hours of unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He must also completed an extended driving re-test.

Carroll, 19, also of Earnsdale Road, Darwen, was given a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and a compensation order of £150 at Blackburn Magistrates' Court on the same day.