Keith Moon fatally runs over his driver while trying to escape from skinheads
This week in 1970, The Who drummer Keith Moon fatally ran over his chauffeur with his Bentley while trying to escape a mob outside a pub. Moon went for a drink at the Red Lion pub Hatfield, Hertfordshire with his wife and several friends. However, the pub was frequented by local skinheads, who took a dim view of Moon’s display of excessive rock star wealth - not only the expensive car but also the fact he was ordering expensive brandy rather than beer.
By last orders, things were very tense. On leaving the premises, Moon and his party got into the Bentley, which was surrounded by the skinheads, who were rocking it and throwing coins, preventing it from moving.
Neil Boland, Moon’s driver and bodyguard, got out of the car and confronted the skinheads in front of the car’s hood. Moon couldn’t drive even when sober but, nonetheless, he tried to save his friends by driving off.
Tragically, as the Bentley moved forward, Boland wound up underneath the car and was dragged down the road, unbeknownst to Moon and his friends.
Boland was pronounced dead at the hospital that night.
Moon was charged with Boland’s death, as well as drunk driving and driving without a license or insurance.
Six weeks later, the death was ruled as an accident, clearing Moon, although he later pleaded guilty to the driving charges.
Also this week in 1970, the Prime Minister, in his first major speech in what was an election year, lashed out at the Tories at Swansea and described them as “a group of has-beens”.
Harold Wilson said they were “baleful Bourbons” scrutinising trade returns and financial accounts, hoping to sustain their pathetic argument that a £500 million surplus under a Labour government was a national disaster compared with the £800 million deficit which was their proud achievement in 1964.