A MAN used a two-tonne van as a weapon when he rammed it into his close friend outside a pub, dragging his body a quarter of a mile down the road, a court heard.

Dean Clark, 41, suffered 47 separate injuries, including fractures to nearly all of his ribs, when he was hit by a van driven by close friend, 41-year-old Craig Garton.

Shortly after the crash, which followed an argument and brawl captured on CCTV outside the Blacksmith Arms pub, in Little Clacton, Mr Clark was pronounced dead.

Garton later told police he thought he had only “clipped” Mr Clark.

Garton denies a charge of murder, but admits manslaughter.

Opening a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday, Martyn Bowyer, prosecuting, said: “This was no clipping or grazing blow, but was, we suggest, a deliberate act directed towards Dean Clark.

“No doubt fuelled by alcohol or possibly cocaine, the red mist descended on Craig Garton that night.

“We suggest he intended to cause very serious harm to Dean Clark using a two-tonne van as a weapon.”

Mr Bowyer added: “Both had been in a public house that afternoon or evening from quite early on and it is not in dispute both had been drinking quite heavily.

“There is also some evidence to suggest both had consumed cocaine at some point before the incident.

“As the evening drew on, the pair of them began arguing.

“What that argument was over may be unclear, but argument there was, and it became physical.”

The court heard a friend got between the pair after the argument became heated, before the pub landlord asked Garton to leave.

Mr Bowyer said Garton drove away from the pub in his van, before returning minutes later after a phone conversation with Mr Clark.

Mr Clark was waiting outside the pub and the two friends recommenced their argument, which developed into a brawl.

Mr Bowyer said: “It was a serious fight, with punches and kicks being delivered.

“Both men ended up on the ground at some point.

“It seems that Dean Clark may well have got the better of things and this defendant undoubtably ended up with a nasty gash on his forehead.”

The jury were told the landlord came outside and shouted at Mr Clark to come back into the pub.

The court heard Mr Clark moved to return to the pub, but then “came to blows” with the landlord, who threw a half pint glass.

Mr Bowyer said it was then that Garton got back into his van, reversing with the apparent intention of driving off again.

Instead, the court heard Garton drove his van “deliberately and at some speed” towards Clark, causing him to jump out of the way.

Mr Bowyer said: “He then drove his van, we say quite deliberately and at some speed, directly towards Dean Clark, who at this stage had his back to him and was walking towards the public house, causing him to jump out of the way.

“The defendant then reversed again, in doing so clipping a parked car, setting off its alarm.

“He then straightened up.

“Dean Clark walked towards the front of the defendant’s van, clearly not best pleased about what had just happened.

“What happened next, the prosecution suggest, was truly shocking.

“The defendant then drove forwards, directly towards Dean Clark with sufficient speed to either cause him to jump up onto the bonnet of the van or to be thrown up onto it.”

The court heard Mr Clark landed on his feet, before turning to run away from the front of the van.

Mr Bowyer said Garton made no effort to stop, instead running his friend over and driving off with the “well-built” Mr Clark lodged under a rear wheel.

The jury heard how witnesses saw his van leave the scene, with Mr Clark dragged along underneath the vehicle.

Mr Bowyer said: “CCTV at a caravan site about a quarter of a mile away captured the van.

“As it came towards the camera, it was swerving from side to side as it approached.”

Mr Bowyer told the jury they would hear evidence from an accident reconstruction expert, who had concluded the swerving was likely caused by Mr Clark’s body causing one of the rear wheels to jam.

The jury were told the van mounted the kerb at a bus stop sited just before the caravan park entrance, flattening a free-standing pole to the ground.

Mr Bowyer said: “It is likely the back of the van was lifted off the ground.

“Dean Clark’s body was released, throwing it to the side of the road.”

The court heard Garton continued to drive, arriving at his former business partner’s address in Clacton where he was later arrested.

Witnesses outside the pub had chased the van up the road and attempted CPR on Mr Clark.

The trial continues.