A COMPANY director who accidentally knocked down his mother and a former friend with his Bentley has been cleared of causing him grievous bodily harm with intent.

Arron Honzik was left paralysed from the waist down after he was pinned under the luxury car outside businessman Andrew Platts’ gated North Yorkshire home.

Mr Platts, 42, of Great Ayton, said he panicked and knocked down 6ft 4in Mr Honzik after receiving threats over the phone and by text.

The pair had fallen out after Mr Platt blocked the Mr Honzik on Facebook over a derogatory post about his son.Facebook post, jurors were told. Mr Platts said: “I foolishly said ‘you know where I live’. I may have antagonised him.”

While driving home Mr Platts had received a call saying: “I’m outside your house, I’m going to f****** batter you.”

Mr Platts told the jury he was relieved as he drove through his electronic gates and down his 180m-long drive and could not see Mr Honzik. But when he got to his Pannierman Lane house with his two children in the back of his car, he spotted his former friend’s Mercedes and the 25-year-old waiting for him.

He told the jury he manoeuvred his vehicle to block Mr Honzik from approaching his car door, accidentally knocked down his own mother and then ran over the powerfully-built younger man.

Mr Honzik suffered multiple broken bones and requires a wheelchair following the accident in October 2016.

A jury at Newcastle Crown Court cleared Mr Platts of the offence after deliberating for three hours and 40 minutes.

The businessman’s supporters cried out in joy when the jury foreman returned the not guilty verdict.

Mr Platts wept in the dock before hugging family members. He declined to comment after being cleared.