Man Intended to Kill Crowd with Car in Nottingham Attack, Trial Hears
A trial has heard that a motorist deliberately drove his car into a group of people, fatally injuring a footballer, after a dispute outside a bar.
A man is accused of deliberately driving his car into a crowd of people with the intention of killing them, resulting in the fatal injury of a 26-year-old footballer. The incident occurred in Arnold, near Nottingham, in the early hours of May 9.
The victim, non-league footballer Tyler Fairman, who played for Woodthorpe Park Rangers, sustained a severe brain injury from the collision and died in hospital on May 12, Nottingham Crown Court was told.
Duane Anthony, 40, has pleaded not guilty to murder and five counts of attempted murder, as well as driving while disqualified. His girlfriend, Destiny Carrier, 29, is on trial, accused of assisting an offender.
During the opening of the Crown's case, prosecution counsel Gareth Weetman KC stated that Anthony and Carrier had been at Sasha's Bar with friends. An argument broke out between two groups as they were leaving the bar around 1 am, and the dispute moved into nearby streets.
Weetman told the jury that after a brief verbal altercation, Anthony was seen walking away from the scene towards the car he had arrived in. However, the prosecution alleges Anthony returned to the parked car with the intention of driving it back to the area where the group was, aiming to strike them.
CCTV footage of the moment the car hit the pedestrians was played in court, reportedly causing audible gasps. The footage showed Mr. Fairman and others being forcefully thrown by the impact.
Weetman alleged that Anthony drove at the group in a "cold, calculated and violent" manner, mounting the pavement with the intention of hitting them. While one individual managed to jump out of the way, others, including Mr. Fairman, were struck.
Emergency services found Mr. Fairman unconscious and unresponsive at the scene. Several other pedestrians were taken to hospital with various injuries, including head, shoulder, and rib injuries. One person was left on crutches with a swollen knee.
Following the collision, Anthony allegedly ran away from the scene without checking on the victims or calling for assistance. The prosecution suggests Carrier was aware of the severity of what had occurred, noting that she was seen meeting up with Anthony later that morning. The pair were later seen together leaving an address in Bulwell. Anthony was arrested on May 9.
The trial is ongoing.