‘Dad ran over and killed daughter in a fit of rage’
A FATHER crushed his teenage daughter to death by twice driving over her in a fit of rage, a court heard yesterday.
Lauren Malt, 19, suffered injuries including a broken back and pelvis.
Nigel Malt, 44, lost his temper after Lauren refused to answer the door when he went round in his Mercedes to pick up his younger daughter, Norwich Crown Court was told.
Lauren had shouted at her father – who was estranged from the family – to “go home” after he tried to attack her boyfriend with a crowbar in West Winch, Norfolk, in January this year, the jury heard.
Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, said Malt got back into his car, and was driving forward as Lauren walked behind him – possibly to stop him reversing to launch another attack.
Describing the incident, Mr Jackson said: “He reversed his car and knocked over his daughter. Having knocked her to the ground, he then reversed his car over her.
“He stopped and then he drove his car forward over her body. Those actions killed Lauren Malt. A later examination of her body revealed bruising, lacerations and crush injuries to her head, torso, arms and legs.
“A Home Office pathologist described them as significant traumatic injuries… Effectively she was crushed to death.
“The prosecution case is that this was murder, that the defendant did these actions deliberately in a rage or temper. He intended to kill Lauren or at the very least cause serious harm.”
Mr Jackson said that, ignoring pleas from neighbours to wait for an ambulance, Malt then picked up Lauren and put her in his car while she was “effectively bleeding to death” from the wound to her liver.
Mr Jackson said: “The defendant made it quite clear he didn’t want the police to investigate and was not prepared to wait and allow Lauren to get emergency medical care she needed.”
He begged neighbours not to call the police before driving off to the nearby convenience store where his estranged wife, Karen, worked.
On the way he called her to say, “Lauren was dead and that he had run her over and was bringing her over”, said Mr Jackson.
Jurors were shown CCTV from the shop, showing Mrs Malt opening the car door and attempting to comfort her daughter.
The court heard Malt’s marriage was marred by his drinking, drug taking and violence.
In April last year, wife Karen had reported him to the police for assaulting her, the prosecutor said.
Malt, of King’s Lynn, denies murder. The trial continues.