Ashfield murder trial: Children witnessed scene of collision moments after Range Rover smash left man dead

In the second week in the murder trial of John Jefferies at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, March 8, Ashfield resident Shane Grainger told the jury that he had been walking along Southwell Lane in August last year moments after the collision occurred.

It is alleged that Jefferies deliberately drove at the two men as an ‘act of revenge’ after one of them kicked in the windscreen of his Range Rover, which had been parked outside his girlfriend’s house, and shouted threats at him.

Samuel Donner, 29, died at the scene of the collision, on Southwell Lane, Kirkby, on Saturday, August 8 last year, 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 and a laceration to the scalp.

Jefferies, 31, formerly of Walesby Drive, Kirkby, denies 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 him shouting at the defendant.

The court heard that Jefferies had made a series of calls following the collision, first to his former partner, asking her to come and collect their daughter, who was staying with him at the time.

Giving evidence to the jury, Mr Grainger described seeing Jefferies further down the road, acting in an agitated manner and shouting at a woman who was also close to the scene.

He said: “He was pacing up and down the road and I heard him shout to a woman, who was between 50 and 100 metres away from him, that ‘he was jumping on my f****** car’, then, as I got closer I heard him say, ‘s***, I’m sorry the kids had to see that. He then shouted at the woman to get in her car and go home.”

During Friday’s proceedings, police crash investigator Andy Bell told the jury that Jefferies had been travelling at almost 46mph in his Range Rover in the moments prior to the fatal collision, and that two tyres of the vehicle had burst during the incident.

He said that Mr Donner had been thrown upwards and forwards by the force of the impact, and that the Range Rover had come to a rest some 50 metres from where Mr Donner lay – although he had been moved slightly to receive medical attention.

Earlier in proceedings, the court had heard that Jefferies had left the scene and travelled to Pinxton Bridge where he had briefly met up with his brother, prior to a family meet-up at King’s Mill Reservoir, to allow him to hug and say goodbye to his daughter.

The group had then travelled to the home of another family member, where Jefferies had handed himself in to police.

The trial continues.

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