A CAR mechanic who allegedly flipped a client’s VW Golf while demonstrating the new braking system is on trial.

Richard Masters, 57, is accused of taking his client out for a ‘demonstration ride’ when he was speeding down the A4130 Calvin Thomas Way, Wallingford, on October 26, 2021, accelerating and then ‘braking heavily’ to show off the efficiency of the newly installed brake system.

A 12-strong jury heard at Oxford Crown Court on Monday (July 29) that the wheels had allegedly locked and the car spun into a ditch due to an issue with the new system.

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The client, who was in the front passenger seat, was allegedly left with a broken back for which he received surgery.

Masters, of Wantage Road, Wallingford, has denied one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, claiming he did not know there was an issue with the braking system and it was not his responsibility.

The trial is expected to last four to five days.

During the opening on Monday, it was heard the client had requested that a new braking bias system be installed and had provided new brake discs to be fitted.

However, it is the prosecution’s case that the braking bias system had ‘inherent issues’ and that Masters ‘should have been aware’ of these.

A brake bias system is the percentage of braking force applied to the front or rear wheels. It is done to account for weight transfer and is most commonly used by F1 drivers in high-speed racing.

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The prosecution states that a braking system such as this is ‘not required’ in a VW Golf and is something that ‘should not be tinkered with’.

It is claimed Masters allegedly would have known the system was unsafe but had installed in anyway.

The issue with the system was that it had been set up so all the braking was all on the rear wheels, the court heard. 

While on the test drive, the rear wheels ‘locked up’ causing the vehicle to leave the road and there ‘nothing Masters could do’.

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Other issues the prosecution pointed out was the alleged lack of regulation on braking pressure, the rear discs being too big and one nut missing from each wheel.

It is also alleged the speedometer was not set up properly and Masters did not know what speed he was driving at, it could have been ‘up or down by 20kpm/h’.

Masters is expected to state his mechanics installed the braking system and it was their responsibility to check it was working.

The trial continues.