Man killed over grass cutting dispute, court told

A man was run over and killed after offering to cut the grass of his alleged killer's mother for £7.50, a court has heard.

Mark Wigley, 60, his daughter Sarah Wigley, 39, and his brother-in-law Neil Shaw, 54, are accused of murdering Liam Green by hitting the 45-year-old with a VW Touareg car on Rose Tree Avenue in Cudworth, near Barnsley, at about 17:00 BST on 3 April.

The trio, of Royston Road, Barnsley, deny murder and appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday for the start of their trial.

Prosecutor Tom Storey KC described their actions as "a joint venture to seek out Liam Green and to cause him at least really serious harm".

He told jurors Green had previously had trouble with drugs and alcohol but was "trying to find work and no doubt make a bit of money for himself".

He said Green was knocking on doors around the Rose Tree Estate offering to cut people's grass.

After Green knocked on the door of Mark Wigley's mother, she sent screen shots to her family of doorbell footage showing him offering to cut her grass for £7.50.

The trio then sought him out, during which time Shaw called Green a "smack head" and "fat man", dashcam footage from Shaw's Ford Ranger showed.

Sarah Wigley had also said her dad was "going to get him" along with an expletive.

They found Green after about 30 minutes, when Mark Wigley "assaulted him in the street", Storey said.

The two men drove at him, and while Green was able to move out of the way of Shaw's vehicle, he was unable to dodge Mark Wigley in the VW.

Describing the attack on Green, the prosecutor told jurors: "He fell to the ground, but the VW continued driving forward with the front nearside wheel running over him as he lay on the ground.

"The vehicle came to a stop on the grass verge beyond with Liam Green lying beneath it."

He said Wigley "deliberately drove the vehicle towards Liam Green and accelerated, knocking him down and killing him in the process".

Green had broken the leg off a table and was holding it during the attack, the barrister added.

Storey said: "The prosecution say these three defendants were acting together in their search for Liam Green that afternoon."

When questioned by police, Mark Wigley said that Green had run into the street with a bat and was smashing his car.

Jurors also heard that the family had visited Green's mother and complained to her about her son visiting the house of Mark Wigley's mother, saying that he had previously been warned against it.

All three later denied intending to cause Green serious harm.

The trial continues.

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