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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Soap star 'tried to end it all' | Soap star 'tried to end it all' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The actor who played Les Battersby in Coronation Street grabbed the wheel of his wife's car and said he was going to kill them both, a court has heard. | The actor who played Les Battersby in Coronation Street grabbed the wheel of his wife's car and said he was going to kill them both, a court has heard. |
| Ian Jones - also known as Bruce Jones - caused the Mercedes to swerve violently as they travelled at 60-70mph on the A55 in Flintshire, the court was told. | Ian Jones - also known as Bruce Jones - caused the Mercedes to swerve violently as they travelled at 60-70mph on the A55 in Flintshire, the court was told. |
| Mold Crown Court was told that he later assaulted his wife Sandra Jones, 59. | Mold Crown Court was told that he later assaulted his wife Sandra Jones, 59. |
| Mr Jones, 57, from Alderly Edge, Cheshire, denies dangerous driving and assault. The trial continues. | Mr Jones, 57, from Alderly Edge, Cheshire, denies dangerous driving and assault. The trial continues. |
| The judge, Mr Recorder Simon Medland, warned the jury on Thursday to put out of their minds "any Les Battersby preconceptions". | The judge, Mr Recorder Simon Medland, warned the jury on Thursday to put out of their minds "any Les Battersby preconceptions". |
| He said: "It will be apparent to you that the defendant is an actor by occupation who used to play a character Les Battersby on Coronation Street. | He said: "It will be apparent to you that the defendant is an actor by occupation who used to play a character Les Battersby on Coronation Street. |
| He let go of the steering wheel but kept saying that he was going to steer the car in front of a truck and kill them both Gordon Hennell, prosecuting | He let go of the steering wheel but kept saying that he was going to steer the car in front of a truck and kill them both Gordon Hennell, prosecuting |
| "It is important to have in your minds at all times that you are trying the defendant as an individual and not the character of Les Battersby, some of whose attributes were not very pleasant." | "It is important to have in your minds at all times that you are trying the defendant as an individual and not the character of Les Battersby, some of whose attributes were not very pleasant." |
| The jury was told that the couple had been married for 26 years. | The jury was told that the couple had been married for 26 years. |
| She had told police that he had a drink problem and often behaved in an abusive and violent way. | She had told police that he had a drink problem and often behaved in an abusive and violent way. |
| The problem got worse after Mr Jones left the ITV soap in 2007, the court heard. | The problem got worse after Mr Jones left the ITV soap in 2007, the court heard. |
| The jury were told he had been drinking on 28 August 2009, before the couple travelled to Abersoch, Gwynedd, with her driving. | The jury were told he had been drinking on 28 August 2009, before the couple travelled to Abersoch, Gwynedd, with her driving. |
| 'Angry' | 'Angry' |
| On the journey, the couple began rowing about a ring, prosecutor Gordon Hennell said. | On the journey, the couple began rowing about a ring, prosecutor Gordon Hennell said. |
| "It appears that the defendant, no doubt influenced by the drink that he had consumed and the argument, got more and more angry," said Mr Hennell. | "It appears that the defendant, no doubt influenced by the drink that he had consumed and the argument, got more and more angry," said Mr Hennell. |
| "He suddenly grabbed the steering wheel of the Mercedes with his right hand and pushed it up and down." | "He suddenly grabbed the steering wheel of the Mercedes with his right hand and pushed it up and down." |
| The court heard how the car swerved in a zig-zag motion. | The court heard how the car swerved in a zig-zag motion. |
| Mr Hennell added: "As it did so, he said he was going to crash the car through the barrier. | Mr Hennell added: "As it did so, he said he was going to crash the car through the barrier. |
| "He let go of the steering wheel but kept saying that he was going to steer the car in front of a truck and kill them both." | "He let go of the steering wheel but kept saying that he was going to steer the car in front of a truck and kill them both." |
| 'Out of here' | 'Out of here' |
| Interviewed, Jones denied being drunk and told police: "I just sort of said to myself, just ending it all, just getting out of it. | Interviewed, Jones denied being drunk and told police: "I just sort of said to myself, just ending it all, just getting out of it. |
| "I could just take that wheel, turn it, and we are both out of here." | "I could just take that wheel, turn it, and we are both out of here." |
| But he added: "I never touched no wheel, never went anywhere near." | But he added: "I never touched no wheel, never went anywhere near." |
| The jury was told how Ms Jones managed to control the car, and shortly after pulled into the Traveller's Rest at Rhuallt, Denbighshire. | The jury was told how Ms Jones managed to control the car, and shortly after pulled into the Traveller's Rest at Rhuallt, Denbighshire. |
| There, it was alleged Mr Jones grabbed her right hand as she tried to get her bag, which amounted in a charge of common assault. | There, it was alleged Mr Jones grabbed her right hand as she tried to get her bag, which amounted in a charge of common assault. |
| Giving evidence against her husband, Sandra Jones demonstrated how he had grabbed the steering wheel. | |
| She said: "He yanked it up and down a few times. He pulled it up and down with his right hand. He did it probably four or five times." | |
| She said she "wanted to get off the road before something else happened," and pulled into the pub car park. | |
| Ms Jones told how she had sought medical treatment in the past after being physically assaulted by her husband. | |
| After he finished with Coronation Street in 2007 he would go out drinking during the day, and was "quite often drunk", she said. | |
| She also told how on 27 April 2008 - her birthday - he broke her car windscreen after coming home from a pub. |