Man was run over following fight, court hears

Jack Field died in Hailsham in November

A man who died in East Sussex was deliberately run over in retaliation for a fight which happened moments before, a jury has been told.

Jack Field died in the street in Hailsham after being run over last November following a night out with friends.

Kyle Dumble, who denies murder, is accused of reversing at speed towards pedestrians following the altercation.

The case continues.

The prosecution says Mr Dumble jumped into the driving seat of a black Mitsubishi Shogun after his friend was involved in a fight with a group of young men and drove the car forwards and backwards several times, eventually driving over Mr Field’s head.

Tana Adkin KC, prosecuting, said it was his “intention to hit them with the car and cause really serious injury and when you drive a large four-by-four car at a human being we say that is what you are intending".

Mr Dumble, 26, of no fixed abode, had arrived in Western Road in the Mitsubishi Shogun, with his friend Jimmy Stonestreet driving, before parking and getting into a Mini with a woman he knew.

The court heard Mr Field had been out drinking with friends and the group of young men had been walking home along Western Road “drunk and in high spirits” at about 23:00 GMT on 18 November.

Kyle Dumble, pictured at his plea hearing, pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted GBH with intent

One of the group had banged on the window of a parked Mini in which a woman and Mr Dumble had been sitting, the court heard.

Ms Adkin said this “led to sequence of events which led to Jack Field losing his life”.

It is alleged the driver of the Mitsubishi, Mr Stonestreet, challenged the group of young men and two of them got into a fight with him.

Mr Dumble then got out of the Mini, into the Mitsubishi and started driving it towards the men, the court heard.

Mr Field and another man, Jake Barry, stood between two other vehicles to avoid the car but, the jury heard, the defendant reversed at speed and was steering at an angle which pushed one of the vehicles onto the pavement.

Mr Barry was injured and Mr Field was knocked to the ground.

Ms Adkin said: “He was lying on the ground with his head positioned such that Kyle Dumble then drove over his head, crushing his skull.”

Defence

The jury at Brighton Magistrates' Court were told the defence would be that Mr Dumble had been driving but had not intended to cause anyone serious injury and had only driven at the group to make them go away and protect his friend.

The defence will also be that there was a fault in the car which meant it went into reverse rather than a forward gear, the court heard.

Mr Dumble denies murdering Mr Field and attempting to cause Mr Barry GBH.