Ashfield man ran over two men as an 'act of revenge' after they damaged his Range Rover, murder trial is told

In the third day of the trial of John Jefferies at Nottingham Crown Court today (Wednesday, March 3), Hayley Webster described events in the minutes and hours after the collision.

One man died and another was left with life-threatening injuries after Jefferies allegedly used his car as a “weapon” as he drove at them at speed, the court had previously heard.

Jefferies ran them over to exact revenge after they damaged the windscreen of his vehicle and made threats moments before the collision, which took place on Saturday, August 8 last year, prosecutors claim.

Samuel Donner, 29, died at the scene of the collision, in Southwell Lane, Kirkby, after fracturing his skull and suffering bleeding to his brain and damage to his spinal column.

A second man, Conna Ross, survived but suffered an open fracture to his lower leg a laceration to the scalp.

Jefferies, 31, formerly of Walesby Drive, Kirkby, denied the murder of Mr Donner, and charges of attempted murder and causing grevious bodily harm with intent against Mr Ross.

Before the incident, Mr Donner had climbed onto Jefferies’ Range Rover and kicked in the windscreen and neighbours described hearing his shouting at the defendant.

In today’s proceedings, Ms Webster told the court that she had received a call from Jefferies at around 7.45pm asking her to come and collect their daughter, who he looked after at the weekends.

She also described how she had later met up with Jefferies at King’s Mill Reservoir, so he could hug and say goodbye to his daughter before he handed himself into police.

Under cross-examination, she also said that in the time leading up to his death, Mr Donna had sent her a number of messages, expressing his feelings and asking her out, but she had not responded.

Earlier in today’s proceedings, eye-witnesses had described Jefferies “deliberately” driving up the pavement at the two men, who were walking side-by-side with their backs to him.

Ambulance Driver Brian Pepper, who witnessed the collision, told the court: “It was just a turn and it went across the road - the vehicle was being driven, it wasn’t out of control.

“It mounted the pavement where the pedestrians were - there was no braking or de-escalation in speed.”

Another witness, identified in court as nurse Stacy Roberts, described how she had stopped to help paramedics when she drove past the incident on the way to work, in a written statement read to the jury.

She stated: “There were two people giving emergency aid. He was lying on his back and one of the paramedics was giving him CPR.

“After a while the CPR stopped and he was covered over.”

Jefferies allegedly left his partner at her home and told her to lock herself in, then went looking for the two men in the damaged Range Rover.

Prosecutors have described Jefferies’ alleged actions as an “act of revenge”.

The trial continues.

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