Dad killed by teen car thief while on 999 call

Published on Thursday 29 July 2010 16:47

A FATHER-OF-ONE described as a "lovely, genuine guy" was mowed down and killed by a teenage car thief after going to help his brother out of an argument.

Paul Bonnar was run over by a stolen Mitsubishi Evo as he made a 999 call to police telling them he feared he was about to be attacked.

As he spoke on the phone, the police operator heard the engine of the car being driven by 16-year-old Lee Coyle before the line went dead.

Coyle, now 17, was convicted yesterday of culpable homicide after admitting running down Mr Bonnar in Walter Scott Avenue in the Inch on June 7 last year.

The teenager had originally been facing a murder charge before pleading guilty to the reduced offence at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Detectives said Mr Bonnar's widow, Lorna, wanted the youth to face trial for murder, but was pleased "some justice has been done".

They also revealed the chain of events which led up to the tragedy. On the night of his death, Mr Bonnar, 30, left his house in Alloway Loan in the Inch after receiving a phone call from his brother Richard's former girlfriend.

His brother had been "causing problems" and, concerned for his sibling's safety, Mr Bonnar went round to help.

But Coyle, who had stolen the car in Leith earlier that night, had also turned up at the address with friends, and members of this group set upon Mr Bonnar, leaving him with a cut lip.

Mr Bonnar, whose brother had already left before his arrival, managed to flee the scene, but his attackers jumped into Coyle's stolen vehicle, which headed to Walter Scott Avenue.

Mr Bonnar dialled police as the vehicle came towards him before being hit.

After Coyle drove off at speed, the Mitsubishi briefly returned to the scene and a woman got out and leant over Mr Bonnar and said: "Is he dead?" before a male occupant of the vehicle added: "It's not even the right one."

Detective Chief Inspector Amanda McGrath, who led the inquiry, said that Coyle was detained the following day in Wallyford in East Lothian after stealing a motorbike.

Following yesterday's conviction, she said: "I've spoken to Paul's wife, Lorna, and she is holding up despite what has happened. She is relieved Coyle will do jail time for what he did, but she was disappointed it was not a murder charge.

"The difference between murder and culpable homicide is that with murder, there is an intention to kill. Lorna heard evidence in court that her husband was deliberately run over. As a result, she would've liked the case to go to trial but she understood a murder case could be lost on a technicality.

"She feels at least some justice has been done, even though it wasn't how she would've preferred it."

DCI McGrath added: "Paul Bonnar seems to have been a lovely, genuine guy who was very well respected. He was a sensible person who always tried to help people and, tragically, that's why he received that call to go out that night.

"Coyle is someone who appears to be without conscience. He became involved in this incident for no reason at all, and ran down and killed a man completely without motive."

The advocate depute said the Crown accepted in agreeing to the reduced plea that Coyle intended to strike and hurt his victim but did not intend to kill him.

Coyle, of Lady Nairne Crescent, Duddingston, has previous convictions for motoring offences, including dangerous driving. He was detained in custody before sentencing for a background report.

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