Franco's grandson on trial for dangerous driving and threatening police officer

Spain's State prosecution considers it proven that the accused, Francis Franco Martínez-Bordiú (pictured), and one of his employees, Silviu Nicolae, were both in the former's car on the N-234 near the village of Calamocha on the day in question and driving with their headlights off.

They were pulled up by the Guardia Civil, but Francis Franco – who was driving – stepped on the gas and the pair fled the scene at high speed.

Police said Franco 'ignored traffic signals' and was driving 'dangerously', putting themselves and other road-users at serious risk.

A police chase through country lanes, along mountain passes and through forest areas ensued, until the Guardia Civil managed to block off Franco's car on a woodland lane between Collados and Lagueruela.

But when officers surrounded them, Silviu Nicolae reportedly pointed a gun at them, whilst Franco reversed, apparently deliberately, into the Guardia Civil patrol car, dragging it several metres.

After this, Franco fled once again with Nicolae in the car through forested mountain passes, and their car was found dumped, without the keys, later that day in the village of Bea.

One of the two Guardia Civil officers was injured when Franco crashed into their car.

Although Nicolae was not driving and cannot be held responsible for the car fleeing the scene, his pointing a gun at the police is enough for him to be charged with threatening an officer, and he and Franco both face up to four years in jail for this offence.

Additionally, Franco is considered to be guilty of dangerous driving, injuring an officer and causing damage to a police vehicle, which would earn him two more years in prison on top of fines and compensation.

The injured officer has filed a private prosecution in which he calls for four-year sentences for both men for threatening a police official and a year on top for Franco for dangerous driving.

Defence lawyers are calling for acquittal.

Franco's solicitor says he was in Madrid on the day of the alleged offences, and that he has only been accused because of a contract hire agreement on the car in the name of a company owned by the Franco-Martínez-Bordiú family and that Francis Franco was the named driver.