Senior detective reacts after Ashfield man is jailed for life for murdering another man with his Range Rover

John Jefferies ploughed into Samual Donner and Conna Ross 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, denied the murder of Mr Donner, and charges of attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent against Mr Ross.

But it took the jury slightly under eight-and-a-half-hours to find him guilty of Mr Donner’s murder and the attempted murder of Mr Ross, when they came back in, at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, March 12.

Jefferies had claimed that Mr Donner had threatened to have him killed by the Irish mafia, and had followed the two men to ‘frighten them’.

But the jury decided by a majority of 10-2 that he had deliberately driven at the two, manoeuvring his car in such a way that he hit Mr Donner from behind with the centre of his car - throwing him through the air.

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Routledge, who led the investigation, said: “This was an incredibly shocking and tragic incident.

“Jefferies’ deliberate and dangerous actions led to the death of Samuel and serious wounding of his friend, all because of a minor dispute.

“We believed that his actions were deliberate and he knew full well that using his car to injure someone could result in death.

“While this result is a credit to everyone who worked on this investigation, it does not bring Samuel back for his family and friends.

"I would like to pass on my thanks and respect to Samuel's family and friends for the strength and dignity they have shown throughout what has been unimaginably traumatic time.

“It is incredibly sad for everyone involved.”

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