County Durham farmer accused of dumping car in road with tractor

A farmer used his tractor to pick up a car he found on his land and dumped it on its roof, a trial heard.

Robert Hooper, 57, took exception to the Vauxhall Corsa being parked on the driveway of his farm in Newbiggin-in-Teesdale, County Durham, a jury at Durham Crown Court was told.

The driver, Elliott Johnson, who had been swimming in a nearby river, filmed the events on 5 June last year.

Mr Hooper denies dangerous driving and criminal damage.

David Ward, prosecuting, said the defendant asked the driver to move the vehicle.

Mr Johnson told him he was arranging recovery of the car because it had a double puncture, the court heard.

Charlie Burns, a friend of the driver, was also filming the scene on his phone, the jury was told, as Mr Hooper returned with his forklift-style tractor.

A video played in court showed Mr Hooper pushing the silver Corsa along his drive at Brockersgill Farm with the tractor's lifting rails, tipping it on to its roof and pushing it on to the road.

When Mr Burns attempted to distract Mr Hooper by hitting him through his tractor window, the farmer swung his vehicle around and hit him on the back with the lifting rails, the court heard.

Mr Hooper was interviewed by police and said the men had immediately become aggressive when he asked them to move the Vauxhall.

He also said he had been assaulted and had acted in fear, lawfully and in self-defence.

Mr Burns, 21, from South Tyneside, told the court he was walking home from Teesdale - a distance of 52 miles - after spending the day at Low Force waterfall when he spotted his friend, Mr Johnson, who had suffered the punctures.

Mr Burns denied being drunk at the time, saying he had consumed six or seven bottles of Corona lager.

He told jurors he suffered a back injury struck by the rails, which had left him unable to stand properly.

Michael Rawlinson, defending, suggested Mr Burns had been "obnoxious, aggressive, anti-social and confrontational", which the witness denied.

Police interviewed Mr Burns over an allegation he assaulted the farmer in the tractor cab immediately before the younger man was hit with the lifting rails.

Mr Rawlinson said: "You started the trouble on that day. Mr Hooper was going about his daily life and he was doing his job and you were looking for trouble, for whatever reason."

He claimed Mr Burns lost his temper and assaulted the farmer, cutting his lip.

Jurors were told Mr Hooper was a man of previous good character and had no previous convictions.

The trial continues.