A petty criminal accused of crushing Liz Sherlock
A petty criminal accused of crushing Liz Sherlock to death under the wheels of his car told an Old Bailey jury today (Fri): ‘I was just panicking.
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Mark Woolley, 24, was the getaway driver for lover Jackie Moorehouse moments after his partner had snatched the BBC costume designer’s bag.
The drug addict, described as a walking ‘litany of crime’ told the court how the pair drove to Euston station after spending the night in a Soho car park following a heroin binge.
The plan was to go and score some more drugs in either Kings Cross or Camden, jurors heard.
Woolley said he parked by a white van while Moorehouse, 24, went to use the toilet facilities in the station.
He then reclined the driver’s seat to a 45 degree angle and fell asleep.
Moments later Woolley said he woke up as his lover jumped back into the car.
At that stage he claimed he did not know Woolley had snatched Mrs Sherlock’s bag.
‘She just said: ‘Mark.
Quick, quick.
Drive.
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‘She was frightened.
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Woolley told the court he thought his girfriend ‘was in trouble.
‘Someone was after her,’ he went on.
‘After I reversed back and pulled out to around the van.
‘Just before the end of the van Mrs Sherlock jumped on the bonnet.
‘She was banging once she got on the car.
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As her husband Peter looked on Woolley was asked what his wife’s demeanour was by his barrister Nicholas Price, QC.
Woolley replied: ‘She was mad.
She looked angry.
‘I did not know what to think at the time.
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Woolley said he drove off in a ‘panic’.
He went on: ‘I was scared.
I did not know what it was about.
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He drove forward to the traffic lights trying to lift himself up because the seat was still in a reclining position.
Asked whether he had full control of the car he replied: ‘It wasn’t too clever.
‘It was starting to move about a bit from side to side.
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Mrs Sherlock’s face was practically right in front of his as she held on the windscreen wipers, jurors heard.
‘She still looked really really angry.
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At the traffic lights, Woolley said he stopped because of the red light.
He then decided to reverse to escape ‘cos I could see the firemen coming out in the yard and other people were looking.
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Mr Price asked what emotions Woolley felt as he tried to flee the scene.
The defendant replied: ‘Fear, panic.
Fear of someone coming and getting me out of the car.
Someone hitting me.
Scared for Jackie.
I was just in a panic.
‘I was going from side to side.
Because I could not control it properly.
I only had one hand on the wheel and I was trying to keep myslef up while looking behind me.
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Earlier Woolley admitted he had turned to shoplifting to feed an addiction to crack cocaine and heroin.
Described by Mr Price as ‘a sorry litany of crime’ the court heard Woolley has 25 convictions for 53 offences dating back to August 1992, mainly for theft.
Woolley and Moorehouse are accused of running over Mrs Sherlock, 42, after stealing her handbag outside Euston train station last Easter Monday.
Brave Mrs Sherlock had chased Moorehouse from the concourse to a getaway car where she clung to the bonnet in an effort to stop the escaping thieves, the court has heard.
The victim had been drinking coffee with her husband Peter, 48, at Euston Station while waiting for a train.
They had intended to travel up to Wigan for her father’s 80th birthday celebration when her handbag was snatched from their table at the station cafe.
Mrs Sherlock chased the thief as she got away in the car driven by an accomplice, it is alleged.
But the designer was killed after being run over by the couple’s Ford Fiesta getaway car, jurors have heard.
Unemployed Moorehouse, of Linkwood Walk, Islington, has admitted theft of Mrs Sherlock’s shoulder bag and contents, but she denies murder and manslaughter.
Plasterer Woolley, who was living with her, admits manslaughter but denies murder.
The trial continues.
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