Mother mowed down and dragged along road

A stock-taker mowed down a pedestrian in Wolverhampton before dragging her 150ft under his car as she screamed for him to stop.

Warren Millard, aged 54, reversed over the mother-of-one's body before disappearing without even calling an ambulance. He admitted dangerous driving and failing to report an accident when he appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Miss Helena Miller, prosecuting, told yesterday how Millard was driving his Vauxhall Vectra home at about 7pm last November 2 when he hit 45-year-old Jayne Cartwright as she crossed the road at the junction between Westcroft Avenue and Wildtree Avenue, Bushbury.

She said: "Miss Cartwright fell to the floor. The defendant didn't stop and drove over Miss Cartwright, who was then effectively trapped beneath the vehicle. He still continued to drive. She was screaming loudly for him to stop. He pulled over before reversing and getting out of the car."

Miss Miller said he made no attempt to check on Miss Cartwright before disappearing into his nearby flat above The Talisman pub in Wildtree Avenue.

The injured mother was found lying in the road by her 11-year-old son.

Miss Cartwright, of Westcroft Avenue, suffered respiratory difficulties, a fractured wrist, a spinal injury and serious damage to her left thigh.

Mr Jon Roe, defending, said Millard had panicked, adding: "It's difficult for anyone to understand, including Mr Millard, why he reacted in the way he did."

Judge Martin Walsh sentenced Millard to 52 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years, with a requirement to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was banned from driving for four years.

Miss Cartwright told today of the harrowing moment when son Jackson found her in the road.

The 45-year-old told how Millard disappeared while passer-by Liam Footman, 17, called an ambulance.

Miss Cartwright said she was screaming her name and her house number in the hope someone would go and get her partner, 38-year-old John Game. Liam ran to get him, calling the decision to leave her by herself "the hardest of my life".

Miss Cartwright said: "My son came and saw me in a pool of blood. He said 'Mummy, mummy, I think your arm's broken. Keep breathing and you will be ok.' I said to get Jackson out of here because I thought I was going to die."

Liam, also of Westcroft Avenue, said: "Afterwards, I was terrified, I didn't leave the house for three days. I was having flashbacks."