A man accused of attempted murder in Beccles has admitted kicking a 53-year-old while he was lying in the ground.

Lewis Aldridge told a court that he had mistakenly thought Julian Johnson had punched his friend Nathan Baker in the face during an earlier incident.

He said that after “stupidly” kicking Mr Johnson near his chin he had got into the rear of Baker’s car and had sat with his head in his hands feeling shocked at what he’d done.

He said that before he got back in the car he heard one of his co-defendants say: “Finish him off.”

He told the court that Baker had asked him for a knife he had in a back pocket but he had refused .

He claimed Baker had then asked their co-defendant Daniel Hermon for his knife but he too had refused to give it to him.

Aldridge said he then felt the car reverse and then move forward and claimed he saw Hermon reach across towards the steering wheel.

Aldridge claimed that Baker had swatted Hermon’s hand away and said: “I’m driving”.

He said shortly afterwards the left side of the car had come off the road causing his head to hit the ceiling and he realised Mr Johnson had been run over.

He said as they drove away he had looked out of the back window and saw Mr Johnson lying on his back.

“I got a bit emotional then and thought the car had killed him,” said Aldridge,

Aldridge, 27, of Market Place, Southwold, Baker, 20, of Quay Street, Halesworth and Hermon, 26, of Market Place, Southwold have denied attempting to murder Mr Johnson and an offences of causing grievous bodily harm.

It has been alleged that Mr Johnson, who was found with serious injuries, including fractures to his ribs, pelvis and vertebrae, in London Road, at about 3am on November 18 last year, was deliberately run over in a revenge attack following a brawl outside a pub.

Giving evidence, Baker has said they had all beaten Mr Johnson to the ground and that as he was driving off Hermon had grabbed the wheel and steered the car over him.

Hermon denied pulling Mr Johnson to the ground and kicking him before he was run over and claimed that he had tried to stop Baker driving over Mr Johnson by pushing the steering  wheel.

The trial continues.