Army hero, 88, badly injured in car-jack horror
WAR VETERAN RUN OVER IN OWN CAR BY THUG
AN army veteran has been left with ‘life changing’ injuries after he was crushed under the wheel of his car as he tried to stop it being stolen.
Ronald Kenny, 88, says he was left in ‘excruciating pain’ after his attempt to prevent carjacker, Ian Gibbons, from making off with his Ford Fiesta outside Colmans Off-Licence in Rochdale in May.
The hero army veteran who has been honoured by the Queen suffered a fractured femur in the attack and had to undergo surgery for a hip replacement and cosmetic treatment.
Mr Kenny, who served as a soldier for 32 years and won an MBE in 1992, had parked outside a store and left his car for ‘less than one minute’ with the keys still in the ignition when Mr Gibbons jumped into the Fiesta.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, Mr Kenny relived his ordeal at the hands of Gibbons, 37, who was jailed for 14 years.
He told the court how he pleaded with Gibbons to leave the car several times but Gibbons instead rammed the elderly man into a parked car and then crushed him under the wheels of the Fiord Fiesta.
Mr Kenny says how the attack has left him is struggling to care for his blind and infirm wife of 63 years. “I just recall feeling totally disorientated and in excruciating pain, with a number of people around me,’ he said in a statement.
“I am utterly disappointed with the actions of the male who could clearly see that I am elderly and acted with menace to steal my vehicle and drove the vehicle at, and over, me.
He added: “I was an ex-servicemen between 1951-1983 and during this time I was awarded commendation in 1966 and in 1992 I was awarded an MBE. I have also been married for 63 years but my wife suffered a heart attack and she is now severely blind and has 25 per cent vision in her other eye.
“I am her 24/7 carer. On 2 May, 2021, I was the victim of a serious, life-changing injury.
“I left my home address and drove to a local newsagents. When I came out, I noticed a male sitting in the driver’s seat of my car.
“I jumped on the bonnet and asked him to leave the car on three occasions. I told him I would not chase him. He was looking at me and saying something but I couldn’t hear what he said. He then accelerated forward with me still on the bonnet and smashed me against a parked vehicle in front.
“He then reversed and I was thrown into the middle of the road. He then drove across the lower part of my body. I felt excruciating pain.
“I was distressed about my wife being alone on her own and vulnerable. He could see I was elderly and yet he drove the vehicle over me.”
Police said Mr Kenny was standing in front of the bonnet of his vehicle as it was driven towards him and he was knocked to the ground.
He got to his feet again and continued to stand in front of his vehicle in an attempt to prevent Gibbons from taking the car but the thief reversed and drove the Fiesta at speed towards Mr Kenny, striking him a second time before then driving the car fully over the victims legs.
Prosecutor Juliet Berry said: “Mr Kenny drove from his home address and parked up outside a shop. He left his keys in the ignition.
“Mr Kenny came out of the shop to see this defendant in the driving seat. Mr Kenny tried to stop him taking the car by getting on the bonnet and speaking to him.
“But the defendant then accelerated while Mr Kenny was on the bonnet into a stationary parked car in front. He then reversed in an attempt to get away. Mr Kenny was thrown into the road. The defendant drove away and abandoned the car.
“The defendant hid the key under a bush. DNA was found on the steering wheel. Several members of the public witnesses the incident and someone who was medically trained came to his assistance.’’
Gibbons, from Rochdale, abandoned Mr Kenny’s Fiesta nearby and was arrested later.
He admitted intent to cause grievous bodily harm, robbery and dangerous driving.
Det Con Andrew Whitehill, of Greater Manchester Police said: “Gibbons’ callous and cowardly actions left an elderly man with serious and life-changing injuries.”