Trial told man deliberately run over by accused

BUSINESSMAN LUKE DANN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO MURDER OF DAVID KELLY

- CARL EVE

A PLYMOUTH businessman told police he was in fear for his life and believed he was about to be "ambushed" on the night he drove a Range Rover over a man, leaving him with "unsurvivable" injuries, a court has heard.

Luke Dann, aged 37, of Beechwood Rise, Manor Park, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 42-year-old David Kelly and not guilty to an alternative charge of manslaughter.

Prosecutor Adam Vaitilingam KC told the jury the prosecution's case was that Mr Kelly had "angered" Dann on the night of March 21 this year. The collision left Mr Kelly suffering "quite devastating injuries", including multiple fractures.

He said Dann's defence was that it was a "complete accident" and he was "driving away from an attempted robbery" and did not know he had run over Mr Kelly.

The prosecutor told the jury that the prosecution case was that Dann "deliberately drove at and over Mr Kelly, killing him he knew immediately what he had done." H

e said Dann drove on to a Costa café, calling 999 "with an explanation of an attempted robbery".