An 82-year-old man drove into a schoolgirl and accelerated away with her trapped on his bonnet because he was furious his driveway had been blocked, a court heard today.

Terrified Emma Swain screamed as she was gradually dragged underneath the Mercedes after being struck by Stanley Earl outside his home in Barrington Road, Sutton, Croydon Crown court was told.

The 18-year-old told the court Mr Earl sped towards a tree before swerving and accelerating off down the road, forcing her feet to disappear further below the bumper they had become wedged beneath.

Miss Swain said she somehow managed to slam her hands down on the bonnet and dislodge herself, and careered into a nearby parked car when Mr Earl hit her a second time in the back of the legs.

White-haired Mr Earl, who denies dangerous driving, looked unmoved in the dock as the teenager gave her evidence.

Jonathan Edwards, prosecuting, told the court Miss Swain suffered the horror ride after being offered a lift home by her Glenthorne High school friend Charlie Larkin, who had parked her Ford Fiesta in Mr Earl’s road early that morning.

When they reached the car they discovered a note had been left by Mr Earl bemoaning their irresponsible parking, which he said had blocked his driveway and stopped a delivery vehicle from accessing the street.

Miss Swain told the court that when she went to Mr Earl’s door to respond he opened it on a chain before slamming it in her face, opening it again fully and barging past her to his car.

The jury heard he threatened to damage their car if they parked it there again, before getting into his own vehicle as Miss Swain returned to her friends.

She told the court she waited for another car to go past before stepping into the road to get to the back seat of the Ford, before her friend warned her to move.

Miss Swain said: "As I turned to look at what was coming I saw headlights and was in shock and thought, 'that car's going to hit me'."

She told the court the force of the impact spun her round so she was sat on the bonnet, with her feet stuck beneath the car’s bumper.

She said: "I turned and noticed it was the gentleman I had been speaking to. I turned my head and looked at him in the car.

"I was trying to get off the car but my feet were stuck under the car and the car was just accelerating. It had no intention of stopping, it was just going faster."

Miss Swain said when her feet started being dragged further under the car knew she had to escape, saying "if I didn't get off the car I was going to head-butt the floor and the car was going to continue to plough over me".

The court heard Mr Earl returned as Miss Swain was on the phone to the police and attempted to barricade the Fiesta in with his two Mercedes, but moved them away again shortly after.

He drove away with some paperwork and a briefcase but was arrested when he returned to the scene later that day, the jury heard.

Miss Swain was diagnosed with whiplash and suffered injuries to her legs during the incident.

The trial continues.