Cabbie Jailed For Deliberately Running Over Pedestrian In Jaguar
18.09.09
A mini-cab driver who deliberately ran over a pedestrian as he drove a party of solicitors from the Ivy restaurant has been jailed for four years.
Russell Croft, 48, used his S-Type Jaguar as a “lethal weapon” to flatten engineer Michael Wiggs who was with friends crossing a busy street in Soho, central London.
Croft, who was ferrying a group of solicitors from the restaurant to the Chinawhite nightclub, left his 32-year-old victim with “catastrophic injuries”.
They included a fractured skull, a punctured lung and numerous breaks to his ribs and legs.
Mr Wiggs was in hospital for three weeks following the incident on 14 June last year and still suffers nerve damage in his hands and anxiety attacks.
Croft was found guilty of grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving following a seven-day trial at Southwark Crown Court.
Passing sentence, Judge Michael Gledhill QC said: “As Mr Wiggs moved across the front of your vehicle, to the driver's side, you put your foot down hard on the accelerator. He must have got caught on the front of your wheel because he fell backwards on to the ground, hit his head on the road and got a fractured skull.
“You continued to accelerate and literally drove over him, first the front wheel and then the back wheel. Your behaviour after this incident was extraordinary. You were seen by many witnesses on your phone laughing and smiling. You appeared calm to others.”
Mr Wiggs had been out for dinner and drinks with friends prior to the attack late on 14 June last year.
He was crossing the road near the junction of Berwick Street and D'Arblay Street when Croft's car first 'nudged' him.
Anita Arora, prosecuting, said: “Croft drove at Mr Wiggs effectively using that car as you might do a punch or some other weapon. He knew full well that he had knocked him over, and having done that he carried on until he had gone over Mr Wiggs with the entire length of his blue Jaguar saloon car.”
Giving evidence Mr Wiggs said he had drunk four pints of beer and eaten a large meal at Satsuma in Wardour Street before he was run over.
He said: “We left the restaurant and we had decided to go for a couple more drinks. I looked around and crossed the road. I got hit from my right in my mid-thigh. It knocked me sideways. I was surprised and quite shocked. I imagine I turned round to see what had hit me and he hit me a second time. The next thing I know I'm waking up in hospital. It was a pretty traumatic event.”
Croft dialled 999 and when police arrived he told them: “I'm the one you want. I ran him over.”
But he went on to claim it was an accident.
He said: “I'm a private hire driver. A pedestrian was standing in the middle of the road. He appeared to be in an inebriated state. He refused to move.”
Croft, of Mallow Close, Tadworth, Surrey, denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent and dangerous driving.
Source; London Evening Standard - standard.co.uk - ThisIsLondon.co.uk
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