Andrew Flamson: Four men jailed for Coventry hit-and-run killing

Andrew Flamson died in hospital three days after the crash on Grosvenor Road

Four men have been jailed for killing a father in a hit-and-run crash following a row over a drugs debt.

Andrew Flamson, 40, was struck by a car on Grosvenor Road, Coventry, on 12 July last year and died in hospital from head injuries three days later.

The driver, Ashley Donald, has been jailed for life for murder, with a minimum term of 23 years.

The three others, passengers in the car, were sentenced for manslaughter.

Samuel Henneberry, 62, Carl Tomlinson, 52, and Callum Ayre, 20, all from Coventry, were jailed for 15 years, 13 years and 12 years respectively.

The car was used as a weapon of revenge, police said.

Tension had existed for months between Mr Flamson, a cannabis dealer, and one of the men over a debt of up to £400, the court heard.

The men went out in the car with weapons including a baseball bat and wooden pole, according to prosecutors.

Targeting Mr Flamson, the vehicle was driven the wrong way on the road, with a no-entry sign, cones and bollards all ignored.

The car was then driven towards Mr Flamson, his friend Damien Corbett, two teenagers and a dog.

Mr Corbett suffered life-changing injuries in the incident, including a fractured skull and brain trauma, the court heard.

The two teenagers had less serious injuries while Mr Flamson's dog was dragged under the vehicle and put to sleep two days later.

Ashley Donald, Samuel Henneberry, Callum Ayre and Carl Tomlinson (clockwise, from top left) have all been jailed

The accused had all denied murder and three counts of attempted murder.

Driver Donald, 24, from Birmingham, fled to Ireland two days after the fatal crash and extradition proceedings were begun, but he returned to the UK and handed himself in, police said.

As well as murder, he was found guilty of a count of causing grievous bodily harm and two charges of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm. He was acquitted of three counts of attempted murder.

In addition to manslaughter, Ayre, Henneberry and Tomlinson, all from Coventry, were convicted of criminal damage over the dog's death. Henneberry and Tomlinson were further found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and assault causing actual bodily harm.

All three were acquitted of murder, three counts of attempted murder, one count of causing grievous bodily harm and two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.

The four were sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on Friday after a trial last month.

Following those proceedings in June, Mr Flamson was described in a family statement as a "kind, loving and gentle man" who would be "our spirit in the sky".