A LABOURER has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of an ex-Royal Marine sergeant major who he knocked "high into the air" on an A303 slipway near Amesbury.

Tarkan Agca, of Watford, Hertfordshire, today (Tuesday) entered his plea on the first day of a trial at Winchester Crown Court where he had been accused of the murder of 63-year-old Andrej Szaruta, from Bridgwater, Somerset.

Kerry Maylin, prosecuting, described how Mr Szaruta was travelling with his wife Susan and daughter Rachel in his silver Mercedes along the A303 near Stonehenge, heading to London for a Father's Day and birthday celebration with their son, Christian.

She said Mrs Szaruta described how Agca, 24, "tailgated" behind them in his BMW, prompting her husband "to tap his brake to indicate the BMW shouldn't be so close".

Mrs Szaruta said the car then undertook them before "squeezing" in front of them and braking so hard that it was like an "emergency stop".

Ms Maylin said the two drivers then pulled over to a slipway by the A303 Solstice Park services and Mr Szaruta walked over towards the BMW, where he was hit by the car and thrown into the air.

She said Mr Szaruta's daughter witnessed the incident and told police: "My dad had his hand on the bonnet, he went up on the bonnet and high up into the air.

"Dad was carried a car length on the bonnet."

Ms Maylin said another witness saw Agca driving away "far in excess of the 70mph limit" and "skipping between cars".

Ms Maylin said Mr Szaruta died later in hospital from a head injury.

The court heard Agca had 13 previous convictions for 28 offences, with several relating to road rage incidents which involved tailgating and attacking vehicles, and in one incident he spat at a driver.

The judge, Mrs Justice May, adjourned the case for sentencing on January 10 and ordered a pre-sentence report to consider the "dangerousness" of the defendant.

In a statement, Mrs Szaruta said she suffers flashbacks and added: "I have lost my husband, my best friend and have to cope with the trauma of what happened."

Rachel Szaruta said her father, a facilities and operations director, was "the most kind-hearted and bravest man" she knew and "he didn't deserve such an ending".

The victim's family said in a statement released after his death: "Andy Szaruta, loyal husband to wife Susan, and loving father to daughter Rachel, 28, and son Christian, 32.

"Andy was a sergeant major in the Royal Marine Commandos for 22 years, gaining medals for serving in the Falklands War, two tours in Northern Ireland, and a Nato medal during the Bosnian war.

"He greatly enjoyed spending time with his family, in particular supporting Christian in his racing career at racing circuits throughout the UK and Europe."