‘L-driver killed man in store car park row’ – court
AN UNINSURED learner driver deliberately swerved towards and killed a shopper in a Sainsbury’s car park during a row, a court has heard.
Timothy Higgins, 22, is accused of driving at Christopher Gadd, 48, after the pair exchanged “V signs” over a parking space dispute.
Yesterday, a court heard provisional driving licence holder Higgins drove at his alleged victim to “s*** him up” before knocking him backwards onto the road, resulting in him dying from serious head injuries.
Mr Gadd had been a passenger in his brother’s car which “momentarily”
blocked Higgins’ Land Rover Freelander from reversing out of a space on the afternoon of March 4 this year in Pontllanfraith, the court heard.
Prosecutor Owen Williams told Cardiff Crown Court: “Unable to reverse momentarily, Higgins became annoyed and gestured at the brothers and they gestured back. The V sign was used.”
Higgins eventually managed to
reverse out of his space and drove to another part of the car park, while Mr Gadd followed him on foot to remonstrate with him.
The court was told that while Mr Gadd was walking on the car park’s carriageway, Higgins drove towards him.
Mr Williams said: “As Higgins approached where Mr Gadd was positioned in the carriageway, he deliberately swerved his motor vehicle to the right in order to drive at him.
“As a result of him doing so Higgins’ motor vehicle collided with Mr Gadd with a slight glancing blow.”
Witness Maggie Pridley told police she saw the Land Rover “turning into the man” before its front driver’s side corner struck Mr Gadd.
Mr Williams said Mr Gadd fell backwards to the road and sustained “significant and fatal head injuries”, resulting in him bleeding from his ears and nostrils, and despite the efforts of shoppers and paramedics to revive him he was pronounced dead at the scene.
His cause of death was later given as blunt force head injury including complex skull fractures.
The prosecutor said it was not suggested Higgins intended to kill Mr Gadd or to cause him serious harm, but that by driving in the manner he did he “unlawfully assaulted” his alleged victim.
Mr Williams also told the court Higgins’ passenger, his girlfriend Nia Bailey, was the only person insured to drive the Land Rover that day, as
Higgins was not insured and was the holder only of a provisional licence.
In police interview, Higgins described seeing Mr Gadd “marching aggressively” towards his car while hitting his own fist into his hand, and feared for his partner’s safety.
Higgins allegedly told police in an interview: “I did swerve at the man, he was coming towards the vehicle and I just swerved at him to s*** him up. I didn’t mean to hit him.”
Mr Williams said Higgins now denies deliberately swerving or driving towards Mr Gadd.
He added: “We say the phrase ‘s*** him up’ means this – trying to scare Mr Gadd.”
Mr Gadd’s brother Paul told police in interview that he was reversing into a parking space at the supermarket. He told the police officer: “I was backing in and I don’t think he [the defendant] liked it.”
He said his brother got out and walked around the back of the car.
He told the police: “It was a hell of a thud. He bounced off the floor. It was a hell of a bang. He was hit backwards off his feet. Then he [Higgins] drove a bit further on.
“I said: ‘You f***ing did that on purpose’.”
The witness said someone performed CPR on his brother.
He added: “He [The defendant] was in front of his Jeep. He had his head in his hands.”
Paul Gadd said his brother had never worked because he had meningitis when he was young and he was left deaf.
Paul Lewis QC, for Higgins, asked if that affected Mr Gadd’s balance.
The witness replied: “No, his balance was fine.”
Mr Lewis asked: “Did you actually see the car hit him?”
Paul Gadd replied: “Yeah, I seen him swerve.”
Mr Lewis asked if his brother “hit out” at the Land Rover.
The witness replied: “Didn’t see. I can’t say. I don’t know.”
Paul Gadd added: “He [the defendant] hit him on the wrong side of the road. He intended to run him over. I seen it swerve.”
Higgins, from Blackwood, denies manslaughter, causing death while driving uninsured and causing death otherwise in accordance with a licence.
The trial continues.