Girlfriend bought suspect coach tickets after horror death

An alleged killer’s girlfriend booked him coach tickets after he ran over and killed a father of two, a court heard.

Liam Dent, 25, was dragged under the wheels of a stolen Ford S-Max driven by 21-year-old Martin Eastwood for over half a mile, jurors have heard.

Witnesses heard the victim’s blood curdling screams as the car reached speeds of up to 32mph in Moor Lane, Chessington, Surrey.

Eastwood and friend had become involved in an argument with a group of men that could have included Mr Dent outside the Lucky Rover pub on July 26, 2019.

The pair drove in the area around the Lucky Rover looking for the men before Eastwood deliberately ran into father of-two Mr Dent, the court heard.

Eastwood’s girlfriend, Jasmine Robinson, 19, assisted him after the killing, the Old Bailey heard.

Prosecutor Michelle Nelson, told the jury all three vehicles involved in the incident, the Ford, a Volvo, and a BMW, had been stolen from the Chessington area between 8 and 11 July 2019.

Each car had been given a false numberplate, jurors heard.

Both the Ford and a Volvo also involved in the incident were found later after they had been set on fire, the jury heard.

She said: ‘Marian Florian, an Uber driver, dropped a fare off at Church Lane in Chessington and was making his way back to central London when he noticed a Ford S Max travelling towards him, its bumper dragging on the ground.

‘He could hear someone groaning and moaning, and as the Ford passed him, he saw someone being dragged under it.

‘He heard the BMW driving behind the Ford, beeping its horn.

‘Mr Florian did a U turn and followed the cars while calling the police and recording the incident on his dashcam, and on which you can hear Liam Dent.

‘He followed them along Moor Lane and when he got to the junction with Chessington Hill Road he saw a body lying in the road and the Ford and BMW driving away.

‘The BMW was driving around Liam Dent’s body.

‘At 2am on 26 July 2019, Elle Bullivant, a resident in Cyclamen Way, was woken by a loud bang.

‘She thought a bomb had gone off.

‘When she looked out of her window, she saw a car on fire. She did not see anyone but heard a motorbike shortly after she heard the bang, and from the same direction.

‘She called the fire brigade. That burnt-out car was the Ford S Max that had hit Liam Dent.’

Ms Nelson told the jury paramedics tried to assist Mr Dent as he lay in Moor Lane, surrounded by members of the public who pleaded with the medics to save the injured man’s life.

Mr Dent has suffered broken ribs, pelvis and left leg, jurors heard.

His right arm and left thigh had been ‘degloved’ jurors heard.

Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Mr Dent’s extensive injuries meant his life could not be saved, jurors heard.

Ms Nelson continued: ‘A pathologist, Dr Chapman, carried out a post-mortem examination on Liam Dent’s body on 27 July 2019.

‘He found no evidence of natural disease to cause or contribute to death. He gives cause of death as multiple injuries.

‘Caroline Robinson had known the defendant Martin Eastwood for about three months by August 2019.

‘She understood from her daughter, Jasmine, that she and Martin Eastwood had met in May 2019, in the Epsom area just after his 19th birthday.

‘In mid-June 2019, Martin Eastwood began to visit Jasmine Robinson at her family home.

‘Just after 1pm that afternoon [26 July 2019], a number of searches were done on her mobile phone for news items relating to Liam Dent’s death. They included:

“Murder probe launched after man killed in hit-and-run in Chessington”

“Police have started a murder investigation after a 25-year-old man was dragged under a car in Chessington last night”

“Chessington hit-and-run: Murder investigation launched as man dies after being dragged under a car for half a mile”’

Jasmine Robinson bought a Sheffield-London coach ticket for Eastwood for the 4 August 2019 using the name “Jordan McKenzie”, jurors heard.

She then, jurors head, messaged him: ‘If he does say anything remember ur jordan mckenzie and that u booked seat 4a.’

She later messaged him: ‘you should really really f-cking respect that I’m still here after you’ve jeoprodarsed [sic] my entire future with you and everything we’ve spoke about having all because of this one dumb stupid f-cking movement,’

Robinson later message him ‘all the things we were planning to do n you let it all go for some f-cking irrelevant boy,’

Robinson then bought Eastwood a second coach ticket under the name Jordan McKenzie from Sheffield to London for the 13 August 2019, jurors heard.

Eastwood was arrested two days later near Robinson’s home address on 15 August 2019 and taken to Kingston Police station, jurors heard.

Robinson was arrested at her home the following day and told police Eastwood had told her he had hit a person in an accident, jurors heard.

Eastwood, of Epsom, denies murder.

Robinson, also of Epsom, denies assisting an offender.

The trial continues.