A MAN used his car to mow down three people he discovered on his stolen motorbike – leaving one so badly injured his own father did not recognise him.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Michael Gatenby sped after the trio in a Ford Focus during the incident in Stockton and “smashed” into them, jamming the victims against the vehicle.

One of the victims, a 21-year-old man, suffered significant head injuries and multiple fractures to his spine.

Prosecutor Jo Kidd said his father was asked to identify him while he lay in intensive care in hospital and initially, to his relief, believed him not to be his son.

However because of the extent of his injuries and the fact he was unrecognisable, officers asked if he had any distinguishable tattoos, and it was then – “to his horror” – he realised who it was.

Another victim, a 16-year-old suffered multiple fractures to his face and significant head injuries. Both were left unconscious and had no recollection of the incident.

A third complainant, also aged 16, was left dazed and slightly concussed as a result of the collision and recalled coming round to see a man - who the prosecution say is Mr Gatenby - stood over him.

The defendant is then alleged to have said: “You had better run now or you will be getting the worst of it.” He was then punched and blacked out.

None of the three victims were wearing motorcycle helmets and Ms Kidd described how they flew off the motorbike and fell onto the concrete road.

Mr Gatenby, who came across the complainants on a road known locally as the Black Path, close to Portrack Lane, Stockton, was said to be extremely angry about the theft of his bike.

Earlier, he was said to have gone to the address of one of the victims and told his father: “Tell him I’m going to kill him and that Gato is after him”.

Ms Kidd said that Mr Gatenby had not sought to contact police to alert them to the bike theft and was seeking to resolve matters himself.

She also said that after the collision at no point did the defendant seek assistance from the police or emergency services, despite leaving two of the young men unconscious on the road.

The complainant who was less seriously injured told police that prior to the impact he recalled a car behind him beeping its horn, which then came up beside them and smashed into them.

Giving evidence, he said the person that threatened him was the driver of the car and he was 75 per cent sure it was Mr Gatenby.

Ms Kidd said it was for the jury to decide whether the collision was deliberate.

She said: “Was he so angry that he intended to carry out the threat of causing really serious harm to the people that had stolen his bike?”

Mr Gatenby, 34, of Raglan Close, Stockton, who sat in the dock dressed casually in a Nike sweatshirt, has admitted two counts of causing serious injury by driving dangerously on October 1 last year.

However he denies two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The trial continues.