A MAN accused of intentionally mowing down his estranged mother with his van has been cleared by a jury.

Mark Buckland, of no fixed address, had denied charges of dangerous driving, grievous bodily harm with intent and an alternative charge of grievous bodily harm.

It was alleged the 22-year-old had run over his mother Martha Drain after a chance meeting when they were driving in opposite directions in Maldon Road, Tiptree.

The court heard Mrs Drain had turned around her pick-up truck and parked just in front of Mr Buckland.

She claimed she squirted the window of Mr Buckland’s van with a bottle of Fairy Liquid after he had goaded her with a knife.

But Mr Buckland denied there was a knife and said his mother doused him in liquid which left his face burning.

He told the court he had accidentally hit her because he could not see.

“I thought it was acid and it was going to melt my face,” he said.

“My vision was blurred and impaired.

“It was definitely not deliberate.”

Straight after the incident he rushed to his grandmother’s home nearby and washed his face and hands thoroughly.

Ms Drain suffered multiple leg fractures after she was run over and needed corrective surgery.

A jury acquitted Mr Buckland of all three charges following a trial at Ipswich Crown Court.