AN ART dealer deliberately ran down a council worker outside his house after a lengthy battle over East Oxford parking restrictions.

Adrian Greenwood, above, who had organised a petition against the loss of parking bays in Iffley Road, struck county council line painter Stephen Washington with his Vauxhall Vectra estate.

The workman got his boot trapped under the car’s front bumper and caught his cheek on the pavement as he hit the ground.

Greenwood, who last year auctioned a piece of work by graffiti artist Banksy, admitted common assault at Oxford Crown Court and was fined.

A charge of dangerous driving was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

The 38-year-old, who has a previous conviction for criminal damage and a caution for common assault, was told by Judge Patrick Eccles: “Despite the respectability of your background and your profession you have been before the courts before.

“It is extraordinary to find someone like you accumulating that sort of record”.

Prosecutor Jonathan Stone said there was a “degree of history” between Greenwood and the county council over line painting in Iffley Road.

By February 14 the council had painted “95 per cent of a single yellow line along the road” but Greenwood had parked his car outside his house to prevent it being completed, Mr Stone said.

At about 2pm that day, council workers spotted Greenwood had moved his car and decided to complete the yellow line.

Mr Stone said Greenwood returned to find Mr Washington and fellow worker Stephen Axtell painting the line.

Quoting from Mr Washington’s statement, he said: “Without any warning I felt the front of the Vauxhall estate hit the back of my leg just below the knee.

“My left boot became caught under the front bumper and I was pushed to the floor, landing on my front.

“My right cheek struck the footpath, causing a graze.”

Mr Stone told the court Greenwood then said “words to the effect of ‘that was your fault, you shouldn’t have been standing in the road. If a car hits a pedestrian in the road it’s the pedestrian’s fault’”.

John Dye, defending, said his client’s car was going at “a very, very low speed” and he “never swore or raised his voice”. He said Greenwood’s long-term partner had left him in the days before the incident, adding: “He’s very embarrassed to be in this court and he’s apologetic to the gentlemen who was slightly injured.”

Judge Patrick Eccles fined Greenwood £350 and ordered him to pay £300 costs, £150 compensation and a £15 victims’ surcharge, County council spokesman Martin Crabtree said: “Assault is never acceptable and this is reflected in the court’s decision.”