Man jailed after trying to kill ex-girlfriend by running her over three times

A man has been jailed for 18 years after he tried to kill his ex-girlfriend by running her over three times in less than a minute.

Zack Coleman, 26, deliberately drove over his former partner - and the mother of his young son - in his Ford Kuga SUV on 3 December 2019.

The 23-year-old victim was left with severe injuries following the attack on Sturdee Road, Leicester.

She suffered collapsed lungs, 13 broken ribs, internal bleeding, a lacerated spleen, a dislocated hip and shoulder, a fractured arm and damage to her kidneys and pancreas.

Coleman later sent text messages to his mum saying he had killed his ex-girlfriend and asked police if she was still alive when they arrested him an hour later.

He denied attempted murder but was found guilty following a trial at Leicester Crown Court on 15 January.

Coleman was jailed for 18 years at the same court on Monday.

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He was told he would serve an extended period of five years on licence and was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order forbidding him from contacting the victim in future.

Detective Constable Kerry Washington, from Leicestershire Police's Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “I am pleased that Coleman is now serving a significant sentence for what was undoubtedly a planned attempt to take the life of his former partner.

“Before it happened, he sent messages in which he suggested he would run someone over – and after doing so sent further messages stating he believed he’d kill her.

“I hope the sentence handed down to him today will provide a degree of relief that she is able to move on with her life.”

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