A smart car driver has denied that he drove dangerously after a police officer said he feared for his life and accused him of trying to run him over.

Fares Hanif, of Gaisford Road, Oxford, told Oxford Crown Court yesterday he was not aware that PC John Birch wanted to pull him over while he was stuck in traffic at the Rose Hill roundabout on April 23.

Hanif, 31, denied one count of dangerous driving a told the court how the police officer "smashed" through his front windscreen with a baton.

He said: "I did not see the lights or hear any siren. It would have helpful for the police to put the sirens on.

"I saw the officer open one of the car doors, he come out and put his hand on the bonnet, that's when I put the breaks on, there was no back movement at all.

"He got his baton and he did not give me a second and started whacking the windscreen. I did not know what was going on."

Hanif said he was pepper sprayed and may have put his foot on the accelerator of the automatic car, which lead to it colliding into a lorry in the left-hand lane.

"My body was all over the place. I was confused. Everything happened so fast that I didn't have time to think."

On Tuesday at the court, PC Birch said he walked to the front of the vehicle when Hanif drove the car at him.

The officer said he was convinced Hanif was going to run him over after he stopped him on suspicion of stealing petrol, but no further action has been taken on that suspicion.

The trial continues.