An alleged hit-and-run driver accused of injuring a number of people at an Eleventh Night bonfire in south Belfast feared he would be murdered by a mob he claims attacked his car.
Dean Nesbitt - 29 and from Violet Street - alleges he was surrounded and threatened as he tried to drive home through the Village area.
Two children and five other people were reported to have been injured in the collision at Coolfin Street, off the Donegall Road.
A defence solicitor claimed the circumstances surrounding the 12 July incident, close to Belfast City Hospital, involved Nesbitt "taking a chance" because his pregnant partner was suffering pains.
The lawyer told Belfast Magistrate's Court: "He would say he was surrounded by a mob who attacked the car and made a variety of threats to him."
He added that his client believed "if the crowd had managed to get him out of that car they would have murdered him".
Nesbitt felt he had no choice and claimed to have put the car into first gear and drove off as slowly as possible, the judge was told.
The accused is charged with a number of motoring offences - including causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving, having no insurance, driving while disqualified and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.
Nesbitt also faces a further set of charges, including taking a car without consent, dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving while disqualified and without insurance over a separate alleged incident at Dermott Hill Park on 27 July.
The court heard how a woman allegedly had to jump over a wall to get out of the way of a car Nesbitt was reversing during that most recent incident.
As he appeared in the dock on crutches, a police constable said he could connect him with all of the offences.
Bail was refused and Nesbitt was remanded in custody to appear again via video-link in August.
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