Driver denies threatening suicide before crash

A man accused of attempting to murder three children by deliberately crashing his car into oncoming traffic has denied making threats to kill himself.

Tancredo Bankhardt, 41, broke down in tears at Norwich Crown Court as he was questioned about messages he sent on 26 September last year, the day he crashed while travelling on the A146 at Loddon, Norfolk.

Bankhardt, of Saxon Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, said a voicenote in which he said he "hoped God does not treat me badly" and "see you in the next life" was "just words" said during an argument.

Bankhardt, who denies three counts of attempted murder, was in the witness box during the second week of his trial.

He is accused of deliberately driving at 74mph (119km/h) towards oncoming traffic on the A146, which has a 60mph (97km/h) limit, shortly after 20:30 BST.

The jury has also been told Bankhardt had made sure none of the children in the Vauxhall Astra were wearing seatbelts at the time.

But Bankhardt denies this, telling the court he was not aware the children, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were unrestrained in the back seats.

He said the front seatbelts were locked out of habit to make it quicker for him to get in and out of the car while working as a delivery driver, and that he wore only the extendable strap over his head, not the waist belt.

Bankhardt's barrister, Simon Spence KC, recounted several messages and phone calls he had made and received while travelling up and down the A146 in the two hours before the crash.

During this time, the police had already been called after a witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, became concerned about Bankhardt.

He told the jury he was "driving around to clear his head" and had told people, including a police officer, he was going to come home.

When asked if he had intended to kill himself or his passengers, he said: "No, of course not."

He said he may have become "distracted" and had turned his lights on full beam "to see better" before the crash.

Bakhardt will continue giving evidence on Wednesday.

He has also denied three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in relating to two of the three children and another man.

He denies an additional charge of dangerous driving.

The trial continues.

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