AN angry man who demanded a motorist run him over during a petty argument outside a Warrington pub was left seriously injured with tyre marks across his chest and stomach, a court heard.
The victim Thomas Birchall had stood in front of Connor Jones’ car and repeatedly screamed at him “run me over” during the petty argument with two young women.
The women, friends of Jones’ girlfriend, had got into the car, a black BMW, and Mr Birchall was shouting at them. Jones initially reversed the car but then moved forward and when he stopped Mr Birchall stood directly in front of the bonnet.
CCTV footage of the incident in Orford Lane, Warrington was played at Liverpool Crown Court in which Mr Birchall could be heard repeatedly screaming “run me over” and “go on, f….ing run me over.”
Simon Christie, prosecuting, said that Mr Birchall had been drinking that evening since 6.15 pm and the incident happened about 10 pm on May 27, 2021 near The Hawthorne public house.
Mr Birchall came out of the pub and encountered two young women who were abusive and insulting towards him.
After they got into the car of the defendant, who had come to collect his girlfriend, he stood in front of it shouting and after about ten seconds, after moving his vehicle slightly towards the nearside, Jones moved forwards.
“It hit his legs causing him to fall face down on the bonnet and grab hold of the windscreen to stop himself falling off and held on for dear life,” said Mr Christie.
He said the CCTV showed him holding for six to 12 seconds while the vehicle was swerving and he thought he was going to be killed. The car turned right and he let go and slid off the bonnet.
Jones stopped his car and the police and ambulance were called, said Mr Christie.
The victim was taken to Aintree Hospital where he was treated for fractures to his legs, back and ribs and shoulder displacement. He had bruises to his head and tyre marks across his stomach and chest.
When interviewed Jones, then 19, said that after the victim fell off he stopped and checked and he seemed to be ok and was still threatening him.
He said “when the male had been in front of the vehicle he did not know what to do so he drove down the street in an effort to get off the car and when he turned right he fell off.”
He said he had no intention to injure him he just wanted to get him off the car and thought the man would try and assault him and he did not want a fight.
In an impact statement Mr Birchall, who is taking civil proceedings against the defendant, said that he is still on painkillers and awaiting further surgery. He has been left struggling mentally and has sleepless nights.
He said he had trouble playing with his children and has been unable to work since. He felt vulnerable because of his injuries and as he had been “near death.”
Jones, now 21, of Cavendish Close, Warrington, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Jailing him for 16 months Judge David Swinnerton said that hitting Mr Birchall and swerving trying to shake him off the bonnet “is an enormously dangerous thing to do.”
The court heard that Jones has no previous convictions, is on the autistic spectrum and poses a low risk of re-offending but the judge said that only an immediate jail sentence was appropriate.
He said that Jones reversed and should have kept on reversing but he drove forward and although he steered slightly to the left he accelerated and his tyres could be heard squealing.
“You are lucky and he is lucky that you did not kill him. He ended up with tyre marks across his stomach and chest, that must have been terrifying for him. You took a very high risk of causing his death in driving in the way you did.
“He has been very seriously and badly affected by this and I have no doubt that, mentally at least, it has, and will continue to have, an ongoing affect on him.”
Judge Swinnerton disqualified him from driving for 20 months.
Simeon Evans, defending, said that while the injuries were unpleasant and serious, there were differences in the victim’s account of his injuries and the medical reports.
He also pointed out that his initial account to the police did not match some of the CCTV footage. He said that Jones had had nothing to do with the dispute with the girls and the level of Mr Birchall was “quite high.”
Mr Evans described Jones’ actions as “a moment of complete madness.”
He was an immature 19-year-old who does not represent a danger to the community, he added.
