POLICE have praised the courage of a couple who gave detectives the vital clues that saw their son jailed for attempted murder.

Dominic Bailitis, from Tenbury Wells, started a nine-year prison sentence this week.

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Nigel Cleeton, of Herefordshire CID, said that Martin and Janet Bailitis had "been through hell but were brave enough to do the right thing for the right reason".

Worcester Crown Court heard how Bailitis, aged 25, tried to kill himself and his former girlfriend by deliberately driving his car into a lorry on the A456 Tenbury to Brimfield road last July.

Both survived the collision. Bailitis called his father from the scene to say what he had done. Earlier that day, he had emptied his bank account of £2,000 and left the cheque to his dad.

He then told his mum he was going away, without being specific as to where.

Bailitis showed no emotion at his sentence - but there was a cry from his mother in the public gallery.

Victim Julie Anne Bownes was no less courageous, said DC Cleeton.

Miss Bownes not only had to face cross-examination on her relationship with the much younger Bailitis, but also relive his attempt to kill her.

With collision just seconds away, she grabbed the steering wheel so the car and lorry would not slam into each other head on. The lorry driver steered into a hedgerow.

The three-day trial heard that police from Leominster and Ludlow were first to the scene, at Brimfield Cross.

Eyewitnesses told them how a "clearly petrified" Miss Bownes had clambered out of wrecked car shouting Bailitis had tried to kill her.

She told police and paramedics the same and Bailitis was arrested. He said he had something in his eye.

A forensic sweep of the road showed no sign of the car braking or taking evasive action.

At the Bailitis home, DC Cleeton was told about the phone call and the cheque.

The court heard accounts of Bailitis's behaviour during the days and hours before the crash.

These helped show his state of mind at the time of the collision, providing the prosecution with evidence of intent.

Bailitis maintained his innocence, saying Miss Bownes had grabbed the wheel and steered into the path of the lorry.

A jury decided otherwise and found him guilty of attempted murder by an 11-1 majority. He was also banned from driving for 15 years.