A SHEPLEY man killed a 23-year old Huddersfield woman after dragging her more than 150 metres under his car as he sped away from an early-hours nightclub bust-up, a court heard.

Eton Brewins, 26, knocked over and killed Jolene Potter-Connolly following a night at the Visage Nightclub in Folly Hall with friends in September last year, Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday.

Brewins is charged with manslaughter and also a lesser alternative charge of causing death by dangerous driving. He denies both charges.

Rodney Jameson QC said Brewins, of Field Head, had become embroiled in an argument between his friend James Balmforth and another reveller, Jerry Nyeste, after leaving the club shortly after 2am on Thursday, September 11 last year.

Mr Jameson said: "He (Brewins) produced a police-style extendable baton from his car door pocket. Witnesses will say Brewins having taken that from his car door and extended it said "Come on then" and gestured to Jerry Nyeste to fight.

"A man called Martin Adams who was passing by intervened. He put Brewins to the ground and disarmed him, taking the extendable baton from him. Brewins got back up and into the driving seat of his Ford Escort. By now a group of 11 or 12 people were around the car.

"One of them was a young woman called Jolene Potter-Connolly."

Mr Jameson said Miss Potter-Connolly, of Broken Cross, Almondbury, had been standing close to the two men who had previously been involved with Brewins but was trying to prevent more trouble.

He added: "When Brewins set off backwards in his car the near side door was open. It struck Jolene Potter-Connolly, Martin Adams and Jerry Nyeste and all three were thrown to the ground. The two men rolled clear of the car but Jolene Potter-Connolly was left lying directly in front of the Escort."

Mr Jameson said the car then set off forward running over Miss Potter-Connolly, whose body became lodged under the vehicle, and Brewins drove through the car park despite the frantic shouts of onlookers.

He added: "As he turned left into the road Jolene Potter-Connolly's body came out from under the vehicle and came to rest on the road. She had been dragged 168 metres."

The jury was shown a series of CCTV images from outside the nightclub which showed the incident unfolding.

Mr Jameson said

"There is no dispute that he was driving the Escort as it reversed, as it hit Mr Nyeste, Mr Adams and Jolene Potter-Connolly or that he was driving forward when it dragged Jolene under the car or that the driving was the cause of her death."

Under interview with the police Brewins said he had driven in such a manner as he feared for his safety as people were beating on the car and shouting and the car door was closed or only open a fraction as he reversed.

He also said he didn't realise that anything was wrong or anyone had been knocked down behind as he reversed and he didn't realise anybody was in front or under the car as he drove off.