Father and son ‘in a fury’ during chase before crash that killed four-year-old

A father and son were ‘furious’ during a road chase before fatally crashing and killing a young boy.

Owen Maughan, 27, and his father Patrick Maughan, 54, appeared at Maidstone Crown Court today, accused of the murder of four-year-old Peter Maughan on June 1 last year.

Prosecutor Richard Jory KC told Maidstone Crown Court that the father and son had been day drinking in Rochester, Kent, before Owen began driving them home in a Ford Ranger pick-up truck.

During the journey on the A2 motorway, they saw Owen’s cousin Hayley travelling in a second pick-up truck with her partner Lovell Mahon, who was driving.

Passengers in the car included their children: four-year-old Peter and his one-year-old sister, Annarica.

The court heard: ‘For reasons that weren’t and aren’t clear, Owen and Patrick were or became very angry and seemingly expressed that anger towards the occupants of the vehicle.’

As they shouted abuse, Owen’s driving became erratic, the jury heard, with the pair chasing the family for several miles down the A2 motorway.

As both pick-up trucks left the A2 at Pepper Hill near Northfleet, Mr Jory said: ‘Whatever the reason, Owen and Patrick were clearly, we would say, in a fury.

‘Very angry at the occupants of Lovell’s vehicle.’

Owen called Hayley’s brother Jason on the phone to say that he was going to ram the other truck, jurors were told.

He drove into the wrong lane and clipped the back of the car at 60 miles per hour, the court heard.

The family’s truck rolled over a number of times, and Patrick and Owen Maughan drove off, pausing for Patrick to pull the registration plate off the truck.

Police were called to the scene around 9.30 pm on June 1, and all three victims, who were from the same vehicle, were taken to the hospital.

Mr Jory told jurors the prosecution says the case is ‘slightly unusual’ but is a case of murder, which is denied by the defendants.

Owen Maughan has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Peter Maughan, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Mahon.

‘It means Owen accepts he deliberately rammed the other vehicle, and he accepts he drove his vehicle dangerously,’ Mr Jory said.

‘He disputes he intended to cause any injury to any of the occupants.’

He added that Patrick Maughan disputes encouraging or assisting his son and that the main issue in the case will be their state of mind at the time of the incident.

The trial continues.

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