A stolen Volvo estate was used as a murder weapon to kill a man who owed just £20, a jury was told on Tuesday, December 6, 2022.
Robert Duggan, 60, was crushed under the wheels of the car and dragged along Axe Close on the Marsh Farm estate in Luton.
He suffered catastrophic injuries and despite the efforts of paramedics was pronounced dead at the scene, Luton Crown Court heard.
The driver William McDonagh, 53, of Verulam Gardens, Luton denies murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.
The jury was told he had pleaded guilty to causing Mr Duggan’s death by dangerous driving on the morning of Saturday, June 11, 2022.
Prosecutor Stuart Trimmer QC said earlier McDonagh had gone to Mr Duggan’s flat in Axe Close and tried to barge his way in. His daughter Karen Ring pushed him out, ripping the side of his black jacket.
McDonagh was said to be drunk and talked about being owed £20. Mr Duggan is said to have told his daughter he did not owe £20 and questioned why he (McDonagh) was coming back after three years.
The prosecutor said that William McDonagh went to a nearby Nisa shop and bought a bottle of Bells whisky. He then smashed Mr Duggan’s living room window and tried to kick the door in.
The victim came outside and used his crutch to try to knock two screwdrivers from the hands of William McDonagh, the jury heard.
William McDonagh left but returned driving at speed into the close in the stolen Volvo car, which had false number plates.
CCTV played to the jury showed Mr Duggan and his daughter fall over as they are startled by the car before it knocks over a wheelie bin and strikes Mr Duggan.
Mr Trimmer said: “The defendant comes back round again and stops to observe what he had done and then drives off.”
He alleged he had turned the wheels deliberately to run him over.
Mr Trimmer said: “If you drive a car at someone and drive over them you intend either to kill them or cause really serious harm.
“The victim was killed by defendant as if he had shot or stabbed him.”
The method he used was a large Swedish car. William McDonagh was arrested later and made not comment to police questions.
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