A VAN driver “callously mowed down” his estranged mother leaving her needing surgery on a broken leg after she squirted him with a mystery liquid, a court heard.

Mark Buckland was driving a transit-style van along Maldon Road, Tiptree, when he noticed his mother Martha Drain was travelling in the opposite direction in her Ford Ranger pick-up truck.

Despite their strained relationship, Buckland, 22, flashed his lights and gesticulated – asking her to turn round and follow him.

When she did so, he eventually waved her through and they both pulled over.

The court heard Mrs Drain approached his driver side window with a Fairly Liquid style bottle in her hand and she claims Buckland threatened her with a knife he had stowed in his door.

He denies there was a knife and said that she sprayed him with a noxious liquid which burned his hand and blurred his vision.

A jury at Ipswich Crown Court were shown dashcam footage of Buckland moving the van into his mother and then driving straight at her, ramming her into a hedge and meant she needed surgery on a series of leg fractures.

He claims the incident was an accident which came about because he could not see properly.

Phillip Farr, prosecuting said: “This is an assault where he ran his mother over in a transit van, breaking her leg in several places and leaving her requiring corrective surgery.

“This was a quite deliberate act committed with the specific intention of really hurting her.

“We say he was aiming for her and callously mowed her down, ramming her into a hedge.

“In a fit of anger, as she was walking away across the road, manoeuvred his van towards her, mounted the kerb and pushed her into a hedge.”

After the incident in January last year, Mrs Drain was taken directly to Colchester Hospital for treatment for her leg injuries.

Buckland continued driving to a relative’s house where he himself called the police and reported his mother had attacked him.

He was later arrested and charged.

Forensic checks on the van to determine what sort of liquid had been sprayed proved inconclusive.

Buckland, of no fixed address, denies dangerous driving, grievous bodily harm with intent and an alternative charge of grievous bodily harm.

n The trial – which is expected to last a week – continues.