Father 'called police for help before being killed in hit-and-run'

A MAN phoned the police asking for help just before he was knocked down and killed by a teenage joyrider, a court heard yesterday.

Paul Bonnar, 30, had been assaulted by people in the car and feared they were intent on attacking him again. As he tried to flee and the vehicle was being driven towards him, he dialled 999.

A car engine was heard in the background, before the line went dead.

Lee Coyle, 17, swerved the stolen Mitsibushi Evolution and hit Mr Bonnar, who fell to the ground.

The car then went over his body, causing fatal injuries. While others in the car screamed for him to stop, Coyle drove away at speed.

Coyle, of Lady Nairne Crescent, Duddingston, Edinburgh, was charged with murdering Mr Bonnar, of Alloway Loan, Liberton, Edinburgh, on 7 June last year but the Crown accepted his guilty plea to the lesser offence of culpable homicide.

He also admitted a string of motoring offences, all committed in breach of a bail curfew to remain in his home between 7pm and 7am.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Mr Bonnar, a gas worker who was married with a 12-year-old daughter, had been due to celebrate his birthday in a couple of days and had gone out with his wife.

He noticed a missed call from his younger brother's ex-girlfriend when he returned home. She asked him to come to her house as his brother, Richard, was causing trouble.

Mr Bonnar went to the house to find his brother had gone. However, he got into a fight with a number of people and, although injured, fled the scene.

Coyle had not been in the fight, but those involved got into a car he had stolen and he drove off in pursuit of Mr Bonnar.

One of the group was heard to say, "That's him", indicating Mr Bonnar, who was walking along the pavement, and the car swung into the street.

Advocate-depute Jonathan Brodie QC told the court: "Mr Bonnar began running .

"He phoned 999 requesting police assistance. A car engine could be heard in the background before the line went dead. He began to run across the road. The vehicle turned and struck him, causing him to fall. He had not received life-threatening injuries.

"The car continued over him, causing fatal injuries to his skull and chest."

Coyle ignored pleas from others to stop but returned a short time later and a woman left the car to check Mr Bonnar. The car again left.

The next night, Coyle was arrested after breaking into a garage in Wallyford, East Lothian.

Mr Brodie said crash investigators concluded the car was travelling at about 26mph before it steered towards Mr Bonnar, and had decelerated to less than 13mph at the point of impact."The basis for the plea to culpable homicide is the Crown accepts the accused intended to strike and hurt the deceased, He did not intend to kill him, and, having regard to the speed on impact, his conduct fell short of the wicked recklessness required for murder," added Mr Brodie.

Lord Matthews called for a background report on Coyle and deferred sentence until September.