A MAN has been convicted of the attempted murder of six men after ploughing into them following a punch-up at a Christmas party.

Sweet factory worker Andrew Wrigglesworth, 50, of Shirley Avenue, Birstall, was convicted at Leeds Crown Court today and will be sentenced in October. 

It unfolded in the early hours of December 22 after the party at The Moorland in Cleckheaton.

Just after last orders, as the party was breaking up, Wrigglesworth got into a scuffle and was punched in the face.

Enraged by what happened, witnesses heard him say ‘I’m going to f****ing kill them. I’m going to run them over.”

He was then seen to run to his Audi, and, mounting the pavement, deliberately drove at the six men. One suffered serious injuries. 

The other five men were all also injured and some were knocked unconscious.

Wrigglesworth did not stop at the scene, but drove off at high speed, with his windscreen shattered.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The scene in Cleckheaton in December 2019The scene in Cleckheaton in December 2019

Tariq Bostan, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This was an appalling act in which Mr Wrigglesworth, using his car as a weapon, ploughed into the six men, the majority of whom were work colleagues, knocking them over like bowling pins.

“It is only by great good fortune that no lives were lost that night.  It could all too easily have ended in absolute tragedy.

“Mr Wrigglesworth has made no attempt to take responsibility for what he did. 

“He will now be facing a substantial prison sentence.  He will have ample time to reflect on the absolute folly of his actions.”