Man drowned in ditch after car ramming attempt

A man drowned in a ditch full of water after the car he was in tried to ram another vehicle on a country road, a court was told.

Sean Burlton, 28, who was a passenger, died in the incident on Counter Drain Drove, in Tongue End, Lincolnshire, on 24 November 2023.

During the opening of a trial at Lincoln Crown Court, a jury heard Burlton was in a Ford Focus that had tried to ram a VW Touran being driven by his girlfriend's ex-partner, Richard McMullon.

Burlton's partner, Vanessa Gratton, and Scott Biggs both deny conspiring with Burlton to cause actual bodily harm to McMullon between 22 and 25 November 2023.

In his opening speech, prosecution barrister Gordon Aspden KC said: "Some of the evidence that we shall see and hear in these proceedings is unpleasant, harrowing and upsetting.

"Amongst other things it involves an unlawful killing by drowning. It was by any standard a horrible death."

The jury heard police received a 999 call from McMullon, 36, shortly after 15:30 BST on 24 November 2023, claiming two cars were attempting to ram him off the road.

Aspden said McMullon told the operator he recognised a passenger in the Focus as Burlton and said he was waving a hammer.

The jury was told Bailey Fitzgerald, 29, of Brownlow Crescent, Pinchbeck, was driving the Focus and Max Prior, 21, of London Road, Spalding, was a passenger, along with Burlton.

Sam Johnson, 26, of Johnson Avenue, Spalding, was driving a Vauxhall Insignia, which was allegedly also following McMullon's car.

The court heard Sam Clift, 35, of Brownlow Crescent, Pinchbeck, Josh Copnell, 22, of Rose Lane, Pinchbeck, and Biggs, 33, of Spalding Common, Spalding, were passengers in the Insignia.

The prosecution said the Focus went into a water-filled drain after attempting to cut up McMullon's car on a left-hand bend.

Emergency services attended and firefighters freed Burlton from the vehicle but he had stopped breathing. A post-mortem confirmed he had drowned.

Part of the front number plate belonging to the Focus and a golf club were found at the scene.

Aspden said the other part of the number plate was found embedded in the back of McMullon's car. A wooden bat was also found in the boot of the Focus.

Police also recovered the Insignia from a verge at the scene.

Jurors heard there was an ongoing dispute between McMullon and Gratton, 31, of West Parade, Spalding, over custody visits.

"There was mounting tension," Aspden said.

CCTV footage showed McMullon's car leaving his contact visit and being followed by the Focus and Insignia.

McMullon told police the only person who knew the time of the contact visit was Gratton.

The trial continues.

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