Christine CunninghamA man who deliberately tried to run over his step-son ended up mowing down his wife when she got in the way of his car.Ian Pryke, 56, repeatedly drove his Cherokee Jeep at his stepson Stefan Crisp, at one time knocking him into a pile of nettles after seeing him in Wymers Lane, South Walsham.Christine Cunningham

A man who deliberately tried to run over his step-son ended up mowing down his wife when she got in the way of his car.

Ian Pryke, 56, repeatedly drove his Cherokee Jeep at his stepson Stefan Crisp, at one time knocking him into a pile of nettles after seeing him in Wymers Lane, South Walsham.

Norwich Crown Court heard he tried four times to knock down his 29 year-old stepson but Pryke's wife Rachel got in the way and he ended up mowing her down.

Duncan O'Donnell, prosecuting, said that Mrs Pryke suffered serious injuries including broken bones in her back, broken ribs, a fractured thigh bone and collapsed lungs.

The court heard she has since made a good recovery and was standing by her husband and did not want to see him prosecuted.

When arrested and interviewed, Pryke had also told officers he did not want to hurt his wife because he loved her.

Pryke a former mental health nurse, of Wymers Lane, South Walsham, who appeared in court in a wheelchair, admitted dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm to his wife and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Crisp on August 30, 2008.

The court heard that at the time of the offence Pryke was under extreme stress.

Jailing him for 21 months and imposing a 12-month driving ban, Recorder Christopher Makey said he accepted there had been difficulties with the stepson but said on this occasion he had done nothing to provoke Pryke and had tried to keep out of Pryke's way, taking detour while he was out walking with his partner and young baby.

He told Pryke: 'These are very serious charges. On four separate occasions you drove at Mr Crisp. The one person you did injure was your wife, who sustained a number of extremely serious injuries from which she has made a reasonable recovery, but these injuries included a spinal fracture which gives an indication of the velocity of the vehicle at the time it hit Mrs Pryke.'

He accepted that Pryke was suffering from an acute stress reaction at the time and also had a number of health problems and added: 'What ever the sentence, it will be dwarfed by the knowledge that you have caused the injuries that you have to Mrs Pryke, despite the fact she has stood by you and she has made it clear she fully supports you now and in the future.'

Simon Gladwell, for Pryke said: 'This is a tragic case…He is a man with an impeccable reputation and these events were completely out of character.'

He said that Pryke had worked for 30 years as a mental health nurse and for many years worked at the Norvic Clinic until he was attacked by a patient and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. He had then left the job and worked as a community psychiatric nurse.

Mr Gladwell said the step-son, who Pryke had not seen for two years before the attack, had now moved to Ireland.

He said that Pryke suffered from health problems and said: 'He is of low risk of re-offending.'