'Coward' jailed for life after murdering grandfather, 62, with his own car

A man who ran over a grandfather with his own car after he refused to give him a lift has been jailed for life.

David Ford, 62, was mown down by "cowardly" Jermaine Richards, 31, while preparing for a fishing trip with his son, Ryan, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Richards was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday to life in prison, with a minimum term of 26 years.

Richards approached the father and son as they loaded Mr Ford's Kia Sportage with angling equipment at 5.45am on 3 September last year and demanded a lift.

When this was refused, Richards turned violent, punching Ryan and fleeing the scene.

However, Ford saw Richards a second time and confronted him about the attack on his son.

Richards then climbed into a car belonging to a member of the public, before getting out and beating the father and son, continuing the assault as they lay on the ground.

Richards then stole Ford's car, the court heard, before returning and running him over.

The court heard Ford suffered multiple "catastrophic injuries" from the car driving over him. He died later in hospital and Ryan was left with a serious brain injury.

Richards was found guilty of murder last month.

Sentencing had previously been adjourned because Richards refused to leave his cell and he would not leave it again on Monday, when he was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court in his absence.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said: "I regard the refusal of the defendant to attend court to be an act of cowardice. His arrogance is also demonstrated by this conduct."

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He added: “It is plain the defendant is replete with habitual violence.

"It is deeply ingrained. He is, in my judgment, an exceptionally volatile and dangerous man.

"I have my doubts whether it will ever be safe to release him."

The judge said he was "not prepared to endanger the lives of prison officers to secure his attendance" by exercising the powers available to him.

He said: "I have no doubt whatsoever that the defendant took aim at David Ford. I have not a shred of doubt the defendant was using the car as a weapon – indeed he was using David Ford’s own car, of which the defendant had unlawful possession, to cause his really serious injuries.

"He suffered these injuries and died some while later despite the best efforts of the paramedics and medical staff."

After the sentencing, Ford's wife of 42 years said in a statement: “Dave’s shoes are still on my doormat at home and his coat is hung up by the front door.

"I cannot move them because if I did so I would have to accept that he is gone. I cannot do this.

“If he was ill and died I could accept this, but the fact he went out fishing one day and never came home has caused such a shock to me that I cannot accept it.

“The hard thing is that Dave did not die because of natural causes, he died because of the decisions made by Jermaine Richards.

“Dave loved me and his family very much and we all loved him back. I will go to bed tonight and as I do every night I shall sleep on my side of our bed. David’s side will remain un-slept in.”

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Knowles, of South Yorkshire Police, said: “We know that seeing Richards sentenced will never undo the pain and heartache the Ford family will still be feeling.

"But we hope seeing him go to prison will help them start to move forward from this horrendous incident.”