Life sentence for killer driver who thought he was Jesus Christ

A MAN who killed an 87-yearold grandfather after driving into him at a bus stop in a stolen car has been handed a life sentence.

Dashcam footage released by police shows Gavin Collins, 39, driving at speed and overtaking vehicles before losing control and crashing into a house in Nottingham on April 19 last year.

He is seen to rip off the rearview mirror after saying, “don’t need this” before shouting, “watch me go now” and “I’m Jesus… descendant of God”.

Driving another stolen car, Collins later reversed at speed and mounted the pavement before hitting retired teacher Terry Radford in Mansfield Woodhouse.

Mr Radford, who was a former councillor and magistrate and described as “the most wonderful dad and granddad”, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Collins, from Tibshelf, Derbyshire,

was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 14 years at Nottingham Crown Court last week after he was found guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility, Nottinghamshire Police said.

He was also convicted of two counts of aggravated vehicle taking, two counts of burglary and one count of attempted robbery, while a charge of kidnap was earlier dismissed.

Footage released by police shows Collins ramming a police car and reversing through a garden wall as he made his escape.

He was finally arrested after being dragged out of the car by officers brandishing Tasers after he crashed into a tree.

Mr Radford was 87 but his family said he was so ‘‘fit and healthy’’ that he was often mistaken for a 70-year-old. He had been a carer for his mother, who had suffered from dementia, until her death.