A four-year-old boy was allegedly murdered when his parents’ pickup truck was deliberately rammed off the road in a high-speed hit-and-run, a court has heard.
Peter Maughan – known by his loved ones as Peter Rabbit – was thrown from the vehicle and suffered “severe and devastating” injuries which would have been unsurvivable even with immediate medical care.
Lovell and mum Hayley, with Annarica and Peter
His dad Lovell Mahon, then 24 and driving the family Ford Ranger Wildtrak, was seriously injured in the horror smash, sustaining brain trauma and multiple fractures which have left him paralysed from the waist down.
The youngster’s mum, Hayley Maughan, and one-year-old sister, Annarica, suffered minor injuries.
The family of four were in their vehicle in New Barn Road, Southfleet, on Sunday, June 1 last year, when it was said to have been “clipped at considerable speed” by an identical Ford Ranger that had pursued them from the London-bound carriageway of the A2.
At the wheel of that vehicle and said by the prosecution to be “in a fury” was Hayley Maughan’s cousin, Owen Maughan, 27, with his father Patrick, 54, as front seat passenger.
The court was told Owen and Patrick had been drinking for much of the afternoon and evening in Rochester, with Owen downing 12 bottles of beer and Patrick 13 pints.
Today (February 2) at the start of their trial, Maidstone Crown Court was told that although the reason for any dispute was not known, Owen had threatened in a phone call to Hayley’s brother Jason Maughan during the chase that he was going to “ram them” just seconds before the fatal collision occurred.
Both father and son were also described as being “very angry”, with Patrick alleged by the prosecution to have been “actively encouraging and assisting” his son.
Maughan Snr was in fact later later described by Hayley to police as being “ready to explode” during the pursuit which, the jury heard, lasted several minutes and had also been filmed in part by her as they drove along the A2, having come together “by chance.”
The footage, which will be played during the trial, was said to show Owen Maughan accelerating, weaving in and out of lanes, and flashing his lights.
Hayley Maughan also sent voice notes to her mum, Erica Maughan, giving her what was described in court as a running commentary and saying she was afraid.
Dad Lovell with his son Peter
At one stage by about 9.30pm both vehicles came to a halt side-by-side at a roundabout, having pulled off the A2 at Pepperhill, whereby Lovell told the two men that there were children in their Ranger.
But within seconds of that encounter and having turned left into New Barn Road in the direction of their home in Brakefield Road, Southfleet, the death smash occurred.
With the Maughans allegedly continuing their pursuit, Owen pulled onto the opposite lane of the single carriageway and, at a speed of about 60mph, clipped the rear of Lovell Mahon’s Ford at an angle.
On impact, the vehicle began to rotate clockwise out of control before rolling over, at least once and possibly as many as three times, before coming to rest upright on the other side of the road facing into the hedge.
Peter, who had been seated directly behind his mum, was pronounced dead in hospital just after 10pm, having suffered fatal injuries to his head, chest and abdomen.
“Owen frankly used his car as a weapon to ram the other vehicle off the road in the way he did…”
He also sustained injuries to his head, back and leg which a pathologist said bore characteristics consistent with tyre tread marks, the court heard.
In the meantime, rather than staying at the scene or checking on anyone’s wellbeing, Owen and Patrick drove off, heading towards Longfield, the jury was told.
There, they stopped briefly for Patrick to get out and remove the front registration plate, before carrying on down Green Street Green Road, past their home in Hill Rise, Darenth, and onto Hextable where the Ranger was abandoned in Plantation Road.
The court heard that still jammed under the chassis was a child’s pushchair that had fallen from the back of Lovell and Hayley’s vehicle at the time of the collision.
Owen Maughan was arrested the next day when he went with his mum to Medway police station.
Floral tributes for Peter Maughan, four, in New Barn Road, Southfleet
His father was apprehended by police, in a heavily intoxicated state, at his sister’s home in Maidenhead, Surrey, on June 3.
The jury was told they each deny murdering Peter Maughan and, although Owen has admitted his manslaughter, it is an offence Patrick Maughan also denies.
Owen Maughan has also pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent to Lovell Mahon, as well as two offences of attempting to cause GBH with intent in respect of Annarica Maughan and Hayley Maughan
But as well as manslaughter, he has admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and inflicting GBH in respect of Lovell Mahon.
Patrick Maughan, as well as denying murder and manslaughter, has also pleaded not guilty to causing Peter’s death by dangerous driving and three offences in respect of Mr Mahon, namely causing GBH with intent, inflicting GBH and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
“Owen announced his intention to ram. It’s precisely what he did and his father was actively involved in encouraging him…”
Maughan Snr also denies two offences of causing GBH with intent in relation to Annarica and Hayley Maughan.
Addressing the jury at the start of the trial, prosecutor Richard Jory KC said: “Owen frankly used his car as a weapon to ram the other vehicle off the road in the way he did.
“The prosecution say whatever it [the dispute] was, it had put them in a rage.
“Owen announced his intention to ram. It’s precisely what he did and his father was actively involved in encouraging him.”
In explaining the charges to be considered and the defendants’ stance, Mr Jory said Owen Maughan had accepted he had “deliberately rammed” the Ford Ranger and driven dangerously but disputes he intended to cause any injury to any of the occupants.
Patrick Maughan, added the prosecutor, disputes intentionally encouraging or assisting his son in the manner of his driving, in particular the ramming, and maintains he also did not intend to cause any injury to the occupants.
Their trial continues tomorrow (Tuesday) and is expected to last four to five weeks.