‘It was an accident’ claims car thief accused of driving over pensioner

Giving evidence at his trial at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday, Christopher Grenfell said he only read about James Simpson’s death in a newspaper the next day.

Grenfell, 25, is alleged to have murdered the 76-year-old outside his home in Ashgill, Lanarkshire, last November. Mr Simpson is said to have died while trying to stop his Land Rover Discovery being stolen.

Grenfell yesterday admitted taking Mr Simpson’s 4x4 after removing the keys from the pensioner’s house.

The trial also heard again how he had previously offered to plead guilty to the culpable homicide of Mr Simpson.  Prosecutor Andrew Stewart QC put it to Grenfell that he was responsible for killing someone.

Grenfell replied: “By accident.”

Mr Stewart went on: “It was not an accident.”

Grenfell said: “It was.”

The advocate depute added: “I suggest that it was not an accident – it was murder.”

The accused said: “I would not murder anyone.”

Grenfell earlier claimed he had stolen the Land Rover on the orders of Neil Loggie. Mr Loggie previously gave evidence in the trial and denied being  involved in any theft.

Ian Duguid QC, defending, asked: “You said that it was Neil Loggie’s enterprise. Did you know what he was going to do with the car?”

Grenfell replied: “Sell it on – it was already sold before it was stolen.” Grenfell said he was to receive £1,500, which he was going to split with co-accused William MacVicar.

Grenfell then went to Mr Simpson’s home with MacVicar, 24, on 29 November last year.

He smashed a window with a rock, snatched the keys and jumped into the Land Rover.

The trial heard how Mr Simpson had raced out of the home he shared with his wife Minnie to stop his vehicle being taken.

Grenfell said the OAP soon fell as he was “side-stepping and just lost his footing”.

He told the court he looked out the open door and did not see Mr Simpson.

He eventually heard screaming before driving away from the scene as he had “panicked”.

Grenfell’s QC asked: “One  account we have heard is that the car was driven three to four car lengths up the road, stopped, then reversed back down and back over Mr Simpson?”

Grenfell replied: “That is not correct – that did not happen.”

He said the “main priority” was to “get the car and get away”.

The accused insisted he did not know he had left Mr Simpson fatally injured.

He told Mr Duguid he learned about the death the next morning in a newspaper.

The QC asked: “Did you set out to kill Mr Simpson?”

Grenfell replied: “No, never.”

Prosecutor Mr Stewart later made his closing speech and urged jurors to convict Grenfell of murder. He added Grenfell acted with “wicked recklessness” and had “not cared if James Simpson lived or died”.

The trial continues.