Amateur footballer jailed for mowing down two men in Clerkenwell

The pursuit ended on Rawstorne Street

An amateur footballer has been jailed for 12 years for deliberately pursuing and mowing down two men in his car.

William Tooey, 28, ran over the men after they fell off a bicycle while trying to get away from him near City, University of London, on 8 April.

Tooey, a window cleaner, admitted running over Danny O'Reilly and Braden Knowles, both in their 20s.

"It is plainly apparent what is taking place has echoes of organised crime," prosecutor Hugh Forgan said.

Tooey was sentenced at the Old Bailey having admitted causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) to Mr O'Reilly and attempting to cause GBH to Mr Knowles.

At about 12:30 BST on 8 April, the two victims were on a bicycle, with one wearing a balaclava, the court heard.

CCTV footage showed Tooey's grey Vauxhall Astra perform a three-point turn and pursue the men into Rawstorne Street, Clerkenwell.

'Don't remember my face'

The prosecutor said: "The men were cycling together. At one point they seem to look back to see where the car was.

"They lose balance on the bike and fall onto the road. Tooey drove at them at speed."

Mr Knowles took evasive action but Mr O'Reilly "took the full force" of the impact, the court heard.

Tooey then reversed over the men, prompting a worker in the street to gesture at him as if to say, "Are you stupid?", the court heard.

Before making off at speed, Tooey told the bystander: "Don't try to remember my face or the registration number of my car."

Mr Knowles suffered a fractured knee while Mr O'Reilly sustained broken ribs and collarbone, bruising to the lung, crush injuries to the heart, wounds to the spleen and liver and fractured spinal bones.

On the run

Tooey, from Islington, north London, went on the run for three weeks before handing himself in but the car was never recovered.

He denied charges of attempted murder but admitted the lesser offences, which were accepted by the Crown at a previous hearing.

Judge Alexia Durran sentenced Tooey to 12 years in prison with a further five years on extended licence.

The court heard Tooey had youth convictions for possession of cannabis, theft, assaulting a police officer and aggravated vehicle-taking but was otherwise of good character.

He waved to friends and family in the public gallery before being sent down from the dock.

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