Drinker’s horrific death under the wheels of a stolen car

A drinker was dragged to his death under the wheels of a car after an argument in a pub, a court heard.

Liam Dent, 25, was trapped beneath the wheels of a Ford S-Max driven by 21-year-old Martin Eastwood in Moor Lane, Chessington, Surrey, on July 26, 2019, jurors heard.

Witnesses heard the victim’s blood curdling screams as he was dragged along for half a mile at up to 32mph.

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 earlier that night, the Old Bailey heard.

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, allegedly assisted him after the killing.

Michelle Nelson, prosecuting, said: ‘In the early hours of Saturday, 26 July 2019, on Osborne Way, Chessington, in Surrey, Liam Dent was hit by a Ford S Max car.

‘That vehicle had been stolen from the Chessington area on 11 July 2019 and was being driven on false number plates.

‘Liam Dent’s body was struck, caught under the car and driven a further half-a-mile, where the Ford accelerated up to speeds of 32mph, before Liam’s Dent’s body was deposited on a road called Moor Lane.’

Witnesses heard Mr Dent scream and try to grab the road as he was dragged past them, the court heard.

‘He was alive, his head lifting and his arm moving, but his injuries were such that he could not survive them and at about 12.50am Liam Dent’s life was pronounced extinct,’ Ms Nelson continued.

‘Police officers examined the scene, they walked from where Liam Dent’s body had been left back to Osborne Way.

‘Along that route they found one of his trainers, a scratched phone case, ripped bank notes, and loose coins.

‘They saw skin along that path that they took, and it looked like it had been torn or burnt off and drag marks along Moor Lane and Osborne Way.

‘In Osborne Way, they saw a Transport for London post that had been hit and was bent over.

‘At 1.58 that Saturday morning, police received reports of a vehicle fire at a place called Cyclamen Way.

‘By the time they arrived they found the Ford S Max burnt out.’

Mr Dent’s friends chased after the Ford carrying garden tools including a shovel, jurors heard.

Eastwood, of Epsom, denies murder.

Robinson, also of Epsom, denies assisting an offender.

The trial continues tomorrow (weds).
ends