A REVELLER was confronted by a cosh-wielding driver only seconds before he sped off, killing Almondbury woman Jolene Potter-Connolly, a court heard yesterday.

Jerry Nyeste was giving evidence at the trial of Eton Brewins.

Brewins, 26, of Field Head, Shepley, denies a charge of manslaughter and a lesser alternative charge of causing death by dangerous driving following the death of Jolene, 23, of Broken Cross.

Mr Nyeste told Leeds Crown Court he left Visage nightclub in Folly Hall shortly after 2am on September 11 last year.

As he threw paper in the car park, a man later identified as Lee Balmforth, asked him what his problem was.

Mr Nyeste said he walked towards the man but was led away by a friend.

He saw Mr Balmforth, by now in the back seat of a Ford Escort, making gestures to him.

He added: "I stood there and shrugged my shoulders and said: 'What's your problem?'

"I saw him tap his mate on the passenger side of the car. The door opened and he tried to climb out .

"At that point the driver got out of the car and went to the boot of the car. That opened and I heard a click and he had a big long black baton in his hand.

"He stood there and said: 'Come on then.' I just started laughing to be honest with you, I couldn't believe what was happening."

Mr Nyeste said he saw his friend, Martin Adams, out of the corner of his eye come running across and disarm the man, later identified as Eton Brewins, who then got up and got into the driver's seat of the Escort.

A few second later he walked back across to the car to close the open passenger side door and tell the occupants to go home. Just before he could touch the door the car started to reverse, knocking him over.

Mr Nyeste said: "As it reversed I became aware of shouts of 'She's under the car' or 'Someone's under the car' and people started to gather round the car."

The car then sped off, but Mr Nyeste and Mr Adams chased it . Mr Adams hurled the cosh he had taken off Brewins, smashing the windscreen.

Mr Nyeste added: "The car got to the junction and took a left on to St Thomas' Road. As he took a left the girl rolled out from under the car."

Under cross examination by defence counsel Francis Sheridan Mr Nyeste was asked if her regretted anything about his evening.

He said: "I wish I had just walked away."

Earlier, witness Paul Burnley said he had seen Brewins' Ford Escort reversing hard and knocking over Mr Adams, Mr Nyeste and Jolene Potter- Connolly.

He added: "When the car sped off there was just Jerry and Martin left on the ground and then I heard a lot of shouting and then it hit me."

Mr Burnley said he didn't know if Miss Potter-Connolly had rolled to the side or was under the car but then the amount of screaming and shouting made him realise what had happened.

Fellow clubgoer Cassnel LaPierre said he saw two people arguing before his friend Martin Adams went across.

He said Brewins had already pulled out the baton.

He said: "The person with the weapon had it raised. He then looked at Mr Adams after Mr Adams had told him not to fight with weapons.

"Mr Adams then said if you don't put the weapon down I will take it off you."

Mr Adams then put Brewins on the floor and took the weapon from him before Brewins went back to his car.

Mr LaPierre said: "The driver of the vehicle put it in reverse and seemed to reverse at speed. Mr Adams was knocked over by the door and the young lady was also knocked down."

He added: "The vehicle continued to reverse, it got itself into a position where it could drive out of the car park but at this point a number of people including myself were trying to make the driver aware that there was someone under the car."