Toby Kelly (left) killed Sheldon Flanighan (right) when he used his van as a weapon (Picture: PA)
A van driver killed an ambulance worker and seriously injured another by running them over after they intervened in a pub row.
Toby Kelly, 38, deliberately drove his van into Sheldon Flanighan and Wayne Common in the car park of the Bay Horse Inn in Northumberland in April.
Sheldon, 55, died at the scene while Wayne was left with long-term injuries.
The pair were in the pub when they noticed a disturbance between Kelly and a woman and went to help her.
Kelly, the woman and another man were kicked out of the pub. They got into Kelly’s van and he deliberately drove at Wayne and Sheldon before driving off.
Kelly has now been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 28 years after being found guilty of murder and attempted murder following a trial.
He’d pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
The two off-duty ambulance workers intervened in an argument Kelly was having with a woman (Picture: North News & Pictures Ltd)
Sheldon had worked in the ambulance service for 29 years (Picture: North News & Pictures Ltd)
Judge Penny Moreland told Newcastle crown court Kelly went to the pub intent on ‘causing trouble,’ intimidating a staff member, refusing to leave when asked and throwing his wallet on the counter to show how much money he had.
The woman, Shannon Wooden, hit him and he ‘retaliated and overpowered’ her, causing injuries to her face and dragging her by her feet from the bar.
Wayne and Sheldon intervened because of the way Kelly was treating Shannon, and he ‘used his car as a weapon’, driving at Wayne, knocking him down and driving over him.
‘No-one saw Sheldon Flanighan go under the van. The expert’s hypothesis is that he went under as you reversed. You ran over him twice,’ the judge said.
Judge Moreland said after Kelly left the scene he was seen on CCTV hugging Mr Fairclough ‘in jubilation’ and examining his van for damage.
A victim impact statement read in court by Sheldon’s sister Julia Burnett described him as a ‘dedicated dad’ whose sons have been left heartbroken by his death.
One of his sons was too traumatised to take his exams and was ‘tortured’ by the fact his father could not be there for his 16th birthday.
Julia said her brother had ‘lost his dreams of seeing his sons grow up’ and his ‘well-earned retirement’ after 29 years with the North East Ambulance Service.
Sheldon’s home town of Amble in Northumberland was brought to a standstill on the day of his funeral as thousands of mourners attended, the court was told.
Julia said: ‘The defendant has never shown any remorse or acknowledgement of guilt.
‘The atrocity committed by (Kelly) is beyond any comprehension.
‘Our lives have been changed forever. We will never be graced by Sheldon’s warmth again. He has been stolen from us, never to return.’
Toby Kelly deliberately ran over the two men in the pub car park (Picture: PA)
In a statement read to the court, Wayne said he suffered injuries to his head, ribs, foot, liver and spleen and has been left with ongoing balance issues, pain in his left hand and right foot, slurred speech and the loss of taste and smell.
‘Foods I used to eat like bread, potatoes and pasta now leave a terrible metallic taste in my mouth,’ he said.
He has also been diagnosed with depression and is likely to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, the court was told.
Wayne said: ‘Prior to this incident I always used to be the life and soul of the party (…) I feel as though I don’t recognise myself from who I used to be.
‘I don’t feel I’m entitled to enjoy myself because of what happened to Sheldon. (He) was a decent man who lived a decent life.’
In mitigation, the court was told Kelly is ‘sincerely sorry for the events of that day’.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
‘No-one saw Sheldon Flanighan go under the van. The expert’s hypothesis is that he went under as you reversed. You ran over him twice.’