Opening of death by dangerous driving trial

The trial of a man accused of causing the death of a man by accelerating and braking while the 29-year-old was on the bonnet of his vehicle has begun.

Jackson Paul, 35, has denied the charge of causing death by dangerous driving of Jordan Thomas last year.

Prosecutor Roger Kane said Mr Thomas had "succumbed" to his injuries nine days after he was "propelled" onto Harbour Road, in Onchan, on 25 February.

Mr Kane said Mr Paul had reversed before accelerating to 32 mph (51km/h) and then braking while Mr Thomas was on the bonnet of the black BMW.

Douglas Courthouse heard police were called to the scene on Harbour Road at about 19:45 GMT and Mr Thomas was taken to Noble's Hospital before being transferred to Aimtree Hospital in Liverpool where he died on 4 March.

Mr Paul, who had stayed in the area, was arrested on the same evening.

The court heard Mr Paul's passenger Niall Jones attended Police Headquarters that night when two videos of the incident were identified, which Mr Kane said were "by far and away the most important evidence".

He said the first video taken by Mr Jones had shown Mr Thomas lying on his stomach on the car bonnet pulling the windscreen wipers up and down while the vehicle reversed.

He told the court the second video showed Mr Thomas lying on the car bonnet as it moved forward before being "propelled" backwards onto the road when the vehicle braked.

Mr Kane said witnesses had described a man on Harbour Road earlier that evening standing between cars appearing "unsteady on his feet", with one describing him getting on to the bonnet of her car before sliding off.

He told the court that there was "no doubt" it was "bizarre" behaviour.

The court was told when interviewed Mr Paul told police he had been "panicking" as Mr Thomas was punching the windscreen and had tried to reverse the automatic car.

Mr Kane said while the 35-year-old would say he "acted out of necessity", the prosecution perceived it was "unreasonable, disproportionate and led to the avoidable death of Mr Thomas".

Deemster Graeme Cook told the jury it was a "highly emotional" case where there had been a "tragic death", but they had to consider the facts in a "cool, calm, dispassionate way".

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