Murder accused 'rammed truck into e-bike riders'

Three men are accused of murdering William Birchard (pictured) and Darren George

A man accused of murdering two men rammed his truck into their e-bike while driving the wrong way down a motorway slip road, a court has heard.

Alex Rose is charged with killing William Birchard, 21, and Darren George, 22, after reportedly patrolling Sunbury, Surrey, with two friends.

Mr Birchard, from Colnbrook, died on the M3/A316 slip road in the early hours of 22 July 2024. Mr George, from Egham, died in hospital having suffered "catastrophic head injuries".

Mr Rose's friends, Charles Pardoe and Samuel Aspden, also face murder charges, while his partner, Tara Knaggs, is accused of assisting him by booking a hotel and flights to leave the UK. All deny the charges.

At the opening of the trial at Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday, jurors heard Mr Rose, 30, had been at his home in Manor Gardens, Sunbury, when he saw "movement in the darkness" and believed someone was trying to burgle him.

Deanna Heer KC, prosecuting, said Mr Rose, a landscape gardener, then called Mr Pardoe and Mr Aspden, both 25, to help look for the suspects after the alleged burglary attempt at 23:40 BST on 21 July.

Jurors heard neither Mr Birchard nor Mr George had been "anywhere near" where Mr Rose suspected he had seen burglars and had been on their way to the King's Fairway pub in Ashford, Surrey, at that time.

However, at about 00:50 BST, CCTV cameras caught the trio chasing Mr Birchard and Mr George, who were riding home from the pub.

Mr Rose and Mr Pardoe were in a black vehicle and Mr Aspden in a white pickup truck as they pursued the pair "at speeds in excess of 60mph", the court heard.

Mr Birchard and Mr George tried to escape by driving the e-bike the wrong way down the slip road.

But Mr Rose rammed into the back of the e-bike before doing a three-point turn and driving back past them as they lay in the road, the jury was told.

At Birmingham Airport on the afternoon of 22 July, Mr Rose and Ms Knaggs were arrested, while Mr Aspden and Mr Pardoe were arrested two days later.

Prosecutors called the crash "violent retaliation" and said Mr Pardoe and Mr Aspden intended to cause Mr Birchard and Mr George harm as they "helped Rose hunt them down".

All three male defendants are also accused of alternate charges of causing Mr Birchard and Mr George's deaths by dangerous driving.

The defendants deny all the charges and the trial continues.