Dad murdered by van driver who deliberately drove at him in ‘pointless violence’

A man who deliberately ran over two men in a pub car park has been jailed for murder and attempted murder.

Toby Kelly, 38, drove into the friends outside the Bay Horse, in Cramlington, Northumberland, on April 1 this year.

Sheldon Flanighan and Wayne Common had been in the pub earlier in the evening when Kelly started arguing with on-off girlfriend Shannon Wooden.

They had been drinking with a friend, David Fairclough, and the trio were told they would not be served any more alcohol.

She picked up several beer glasses and tipped their contents onto the floor behind the bar, then smashed the glasses on the floor.

Ms Wooden was then restrained by Kelly, and they grappled on the floor while Mr Flanighan and Mr Common attempted to stop the disturbance.

Kelly then dragged Ms Wooden out of the pub by her legs, and Mr Flanighan and Mr Common followed – perhaps either because they were concerned about Kelly driving, or about Ms Wooden’s safety.

Kelly got into his 2008 blue Ford Transit van and a witness said he was ‘revving its engine, driving at speed and suddenly braking’.

He was heard shouting something about ‘never seeing your family again’ and ‘I will f*****g kill you’.

He drove into Mr Flanighan and Mr Common, leaving them with catastrophic injuries.

Paramedics and police attended but dad-of-two Mr Flanighan, 55, died at the scene.

Mr Common was taken to hospital and later released, but he still has long-term injuries.

In a family statement, Mr Flanighan’s sister Julia said: ‘Our family has been utterly shattered by the loss of Sheldon. Since the horror of his death, we have been stricken by acute grief, pain, and suffering beyond comprehension. We are heartbroken.

‘The impact of Sheldon’s death on our family is difficult to put into words. His sons have been deeply affected by the loss of their father. They miss him terribly and have been struggling to come to terms with his sudden absence.

‘My sister and I are utterly broken. We grew up with Sheldon, our younger brother, and expected to grow old with him too.

‘The thought of losing a sibling is unimaginable to so many people, but as Sheldon’s sisters, his absence is a painstaking reality that we wake up to every day.

‘Sheldon’s parents have been suffering severe ill health since his death. It is just as unimaginable for a parent to outlive their child. The grief and pain have been, and will forever continue to be, unbearable for them.

‘We trust that Sheldon has found eternal rest. He will be remembered in our hearts forever, and we hope to be reunited with him when our times come to pass.

‘We also dare to pray that no other family will be forced to endure our experience.’

Kelly, of Wansbeck Avenue in Blyth, denied murder and attempted murder but was found guilty by a jury yesterday following an almost five-week trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced next Wednesday.

Ms Wooden and Mr Fairclough were also arrested and charged but the case against them both was later dropped, and no further action was taken.

Detective chief inspector Dave Johnson, of Northumbria Police, said after the trial: ‘This has been the most incredibly difficult year for Wayne and Sheldon’s loved ones as they continue to grieve, and I am pleased that the jury returned the right verdict today. 

‘Kelly’s actions were despicable and there was absolutely no need for Sheldon to lose his life, or for Wayne to sustain the serious injuries he did.

‘This pointless violence has caused so much pain and I hope that today offers a sense of closure to the families, and to the wider community, who I know have been deeply affected by this.

‘I have no idea what was going through Kelly’s mind when he made the decision to get in his van and use it as a weapon.

‘Nothing good will ever come from a situation like that and as we’ve sadly seen in this case, there was nothing but tragic consequences for all involved.’

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