Bristol NHS worker seriously injured after being hit by car, court hears
As he lay on the floor, he heard two men running away and one of them said the "n-word", Bristol Crown Court heard
A Bristol NHS worker was left seriously injured after being hit by a car that mounted the pavement as he made his way home from work, a court heard.
Katungua Tjitendero, 25, was allegedly struck on the afternoon of July 22nd 2020 near Southmead Hospital in Bristol by a Honda.
As he lay on the floor, he heard two men running away and one of them said the "n-word", Bristol Crown Court heard.
Phillip Adams, 26, Patrick James, 22, Jordan McCarthy, 22, and Daniel Whereatt, 51, are accused of conspiring together to "unlawfully and maliciously" inflict grievous bodily harm to Mr Tjitendero.
Anjali Gohil, prosecuting, told the jury Mr Tjitendero suffered a fractured fibula, fractured nose and lacerations to his head and both shins and required surgery led by a plastic surgeon.
"He was unprotected, and he had no chance to take preventative action. He was no match for a car being driven at him," she said.
"Mr Tjitendero was interviewed by the police and during the course of the interview he explained that he just got hit by a car.
"Disturbingly one or both of the two males who got out of the car and ran away shouted the 'n-word'.
"This case is not being prosecuted as a racially motivated crime rather it gives you the impression of the sort of mind of one of those running away had just after hitting Mr Tjitendero.
"Rather than exhibit shock, or call the emergency services, help or check they were alright, they chose to shout the n-word, get out of the car and run away."
Miss Gohill said the two men who ran away were also wearing facemasks, which she suggested was evidence of "planning" because they did not want to be recognised.
She added: "Such was the force that he was struck... he was flung onto the windscreen and the concrete blocks of an impacted wall fell to the ground.
"It is the conclusion of the collision investigator that it was a deliberate act to turn the vehicle sharply to the right, mount the footpath and strike Mr Tjitendero.
"It is the Crown's case that the collision was deliberately planned in which each defendant participated and agreed."
The jury was told James was also accused of being involved in a similar incident 10 days earlier in Avonmouth in which a Ford C-Max mounted the pavement and knocked a cyclist, Julian Ford, off his bike.
"There are similarities between the two counts on the indictment, both involving vehicles causing serious injury as a result of being approached from behind when they were on the pavement and struck by a vehicle, which the prosecution says, was used as a weapon," she said.
"The car sped up as it approached from behind with the two males in the car being heard to laugh.
"The car mounted the kerb and hit him making no attempt to brake.
"A witness was present at the scene and described seeing the car speed off and the sound of the two males laughing from the car.
"There was no attempt to stop or call the emergency services."
Mr Ford suffered a rib fracture, a haemothorax, a lung injury and blood in his chest.
The jury was told the alleged offence only came to light after James was arrested in connection with the attack on Mr Tjitendero and a video was recovered from his mobile phone which showed a car mounting the pavement and hitting a cyclist.
"There is no dispute that Mr James was in the car when it was used to strike Mr Ford and he accepts that by view of his plea.
"What's in dispute is at the time did he intend to cause really serious harm?
"Mr Ford was unprotected and unable to take action. He was no match for a car being driven at him. Mr Ford didn't stand a chance."
Miss Gohil said that at the time Mr Ford was hit, James had his Snapchat account on his phone open - suggesting he was broadcasting the incident.
Hours later James also carried out internet searches for "hit and run" and the "legal consequence of running someone over".
Earlier, Judge Moira Macmillan told the jury Adams had chosen not to attend the trial and the case would continue in his absence.
Whereatt, of Bedminster, Bristol; Adams, of Southmead, Bristol; James, of Lawrence Weston, Bristol; and McCarthy, also of Lawrence Weston all deny a charge of conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm.
James denies a second charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Ford, although he admits the alternative of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The trial continues.