A MAN accused of murder who ran his friend over with a van after a fight outside a pub phoned a friend and said “Look after the family and sell the cars”, a court heard.

Craig Garton, 42, admits manslaughter after he ran down Dean Clark, 41, with his two tonne van outside a pub in Little Clacton in February last year.

He denies murder and a trial entered is final stages at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday.

Summing up to the jury, Judge Christopher Morgan went over the evidence given by Garton.

Garton, of Upper Branston Road, Clacton, said he believed he had only “clipped” his friend.

He said: “The near side of my van struck him as I recollect, I thought I hit him a glancing blow and he’d gone to the left and I carried on driving.

“I didn’t see that he went on to the bonnet, I thought he was on the floor to the nearside of the van.”

The court heard Garton called a friend in the moments after the crash, saying “Look after my family and sell the cars”, adding “I f***** up and ran Deano over”.

Responding to this in court, Garton said: “I knew I’d struck him but I didn’t think I’d hurt him seriously. I also knew I had been drink driving.

“I did say I’d f***** up and run Deano over. I said this because this would’ve been the third time I’d been drink driving and I thought I was going to jail.”

The court previously heard Garton and Mr Clark had a fight outside The Blacksmith Arms pub, before Garton got in his van and struck Mr Clark.

Mr Clark was dragged several hundred metres down the road.

He was released from underneath the vehicle when Garton ploughed through a bus stop.

Mr Clark suffered 47 injuries and was later pronounced dead.