Woolley later told how he reversed in a zig-zag mo
Woolley later told how he reversed in a zig-zag motion but denied he was trying to shake Mrs Sherlock from his bonnet.
‘It might have looked like it but I wasn’t – I just lost control of the car,’ he told jurors.
Asked by his defence QC Mr Nicholas Price if he knew Mrs Sherlock was clinging to the car.
Pony-tailed Woolley raised his eyes to the roof, thought for a moment before shaking his head ”no”.
He described how he hit the curb and mounted the pavement, deflating one of his tyres.
‘As it banged the curb I heard a pop and the car stopped dead.
I then looked forwards and couldn’t see her.
‘I couldn’t see nothing in front of me.
I thought she had got off.
‘I could see two firemen and members of the public running towards me.
‘I thought I was going to get dragged from the car because of what people had seen.
‘I panicked, put the car and gear and drove forward.
As I did, I knew the tyre had gone and found it hard to move.
I had my foot on the accelerator and just went.
‘
Woolley said he was first aware something had happened when he looked behind him and saw Mrs Sherlock lying in the road.
He said: ‘I just wanted to get away.
‘
Mr Price asked: ‘Did it occur to you that you had driven over Mrs Sherlock?’
Woolley: ‘Not until I looked back.
I didn’t know what had happened.
I was frightened.
‘
Mr Price: ‘Did you realise you were responsible?’
Woolley replied: ‘Yes.
‘
He was also reminded of two witnesses who claim they saw Woolley smiling as he sped away from the scene, but he denied this.
Woolley said: ‘I wasn’t smiling.
I panicked.
I never knew what happened or what I had caused.
I was frightened and didn’t know what to do.
‘
Mr Price asked his client: ‘Did you intend to kill Mrs Sherlock?’
Woolley: ‘No.
‘
Mr Price: ‘Did you intend to cause her really serious harm?’
Woolley: ‘No.
My actions caused Liz Sherlock’s death – it wasn’t intended to happen.
‘
The court heard how he drove to a nearby seat before abandoning the car.
The trial continues.
ends
