Mohammed Abdul drove onto an outdoor dancefloor, hitting clubbers, after allegedly telling bouncers he was going to “shut this place down and kill you guys”, Maidstone Crown Court has heard.
Mr Abdul appeared before the court Monday facing charges including attempted murder, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), and GBH, reports KentOnline.
The jury heard that Abdul, 21, had been ejected from the Blake nightclub on Queen Street, Gravesend, on March 17th, 2018, for being drunk.
After being thrown out, he allegedly told one of the doormen, “I am going to shut you down tonight.”
Doorman Peter Muro told police he had threatened, “If I can’t come in I’m going to come back and shut this place down and kill you guys.”
The court heard that around 10 minutes later, Mr Abdul had returned, driving his Suzuki Vitara down an alley along the side of the nightclub where he then allegedly shouted, “I told you I’d be back.”
Prosecutor Simon Taylor said that a bouncer tried to stop him but Mr Abdul drove on, heading towards a marquee housing an outdoor dancefloor and DJ unit.
He was said to have stopped for nine seconds, “no doubt to make a final decision about what he was going to do,” Mr Taylor said, before driving into the marquee at speed, hitting a number of people.
“He travelled for a distance of around five to 10 metres and gave the customers and staff, who were in his way, no time to react at all,” Mr Taylor said.
“Some of the occupants of the marquee were hit by the car and thrown onto the bonnet and then onto the floor,” he added.
The court then heard that the south-east London resident had reversed before being pulled from the vehicle by staff and clientele.
The jury was shown footage of Mr Abdul leaving the club after being ejected, going to his car, and driving into the marquee.
The prosecution told jurors that the defendant had used his car as a “weapon,” saying: “The manner in which the defendant drove was not short in either duration or distance. It was a determined and indiscriminate effort to cause death to those people present.
“Mercifully — and no thanks to the defendant — death was not caused, but serious injury was.”
“This case has been investigated and the Crown make it clear there is no terrorist element to the defendant’s action. The motivation was revenge and anger at being ejected from the club,” Mr Taylor added.
Mr Abdul denies two charges of attempted murder, one charge of attemping to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, and two charges of causing GBH with intent. The trial continues.
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