Jail for van driver who ran over theft victim

A woman spent six weeks in hospital after she was run over by a van when she tried to stop a thief who stole money from her in the street.

The victim, who used a walking aid, was outside the Ramsden pawnbrokers on Chester Road in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, when the terrifying incident took place in 2018.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Lewis Smith, 21, took cash she was holding in her hand and jumped into a van which was driven by Alan Dobson, 49, with 25-year-old passenger Kyle Hurworth.

The brave woman held onto the open door of the vehicle as it drove away, in attempt to stop the trio from speeding off.

Instead, as they accelerated away, she was kicked, which caused to her fall on the road.

Dobson proceeded to run over her shoulder and neck, before leaving her stranded and seriously injured.

David Robinson-Young, prosecuting, said: "On the 14th of September 2018 at around 3pm, (the complainant) got off a bus on Chester Road in Sunderland.

"She was going to see her friend who worked at a shop there called Fair Blinds. She saw him on the pavement outside the shop.

"She asked his advice on what bus she needed to get to the city centre. He told her before he returned to the Fair Blinds shop.

"(The complainant) remained on the pavement in a doorway next to the store, this was on the same side of the street as the Fair Blinds shop.

"Shortly before she arrived on Chester Road, the three defendants had arrived in a van which parked outside of a pawnbroker on the street called Ramsdens.

"Smith had got out of the van and had gone to the shop called Vape on the other side of the road. Dobson had gone into Ramsdens to cash a cheque.

"As Mr Dobson was standing on the pavement in the doorway he saw she had in her hand a small amount of cash and also a small quantity of cannabis."

The court heard the woman then heard a male's voice coming from the van, which turned out to be Hurworth's, shout: "Give us a tenner's worth."

To her horror, Smith then returned from the shop and ran at the woman and swiped the cash from her hand before jumping back into the van.

Mr Robinson-Young said the victim ran after him and held onto the door as it began to drive away.

She then heard one of the men, who turned out to be Hurworth, order Dobson to 'drive faster'.

He said: "(The complainant) heard one of the males shout to the other 'She's not letting go' and 'kick her, kick her.'

"Smith was now facing her and he kicked her to her face twice with the sole of his foot which caused her to fall from the side of the van to the road.

"She felt wheels of the van run over her shoulder and her neck."

The court heard the men then drove off and a number of witnesses rushed to the woman's aid.

The men were later arrested and they each pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm without intent.

Smith also admitted a separate charge of theft.

In a victim statement, the woman said: "As a result of this I spent around six weeks in hospital and suffered numerous serious injuries including severalbroken ribs, a broken shoulder, two broken vertebrae, a punctured lung and had two teeth knocked out."

Mark Styles, defending Dobson, told the court: "There was a panic that ensued when the complainant latched on to the side of the van.

"They should have stopped and there should have been none of this. He panicked and drove away.

"He maintains he did not know he ran over this lady. Had he known, he would have stopped."

Mr Styles added that Dobson had suffered a "catastrophic accident" in 2019 which has left him needing daily morphine.

Helen Towers, for Smith, said her client was only 17 at the time and has not committed any further offences since.

She added: "For four years he has had a very serious matter hanging over his head when he has in my submission been trying to resolve it."

Mr Recorder Simon Goldberg KC told Dobson he played a leading role and said he continued to downplay his responsibility.

The judge said: "You must have known about the complainant being dragged along because Hurworth was saying kick her and I'm entirely satisfied you must have known you had driven over her.

"This offending clearly crosses the custodial threshold."

Dobson, of Melville Street, Chester-le-Street, Durham, was sentenced to two years and eight months behind bars.

Meanwhile the judge told Smith, of Hazel Avenue, Houghton, he was satisfied he had significantly matured and has since become a father.

He sentenced him to an 18-month community order alongside 35 rehabilitation days and imposed a £100 fine.

Hurworth, of South Burns, Chester-le-Street, who did not turn up to court, will be sentenced at a later date.