Woman who left vulnerable man to freeze and die jailed

Defendant stole victim's scooter, dragging him along with it

- TARA COBHAM

A woman who stole a vulnerable man’s mobility scooter, dragged him along the ground and “cruelly” left him to die in freezing conditions has been jailed. Kimberley Ann Hawkins, 41, previously admitted killing Neil Shadwick after taking his scooter outside a Tesco superstore in Gloucestershire on 22 January last year.

Hawkins sped away on the scooter, dragging the father-of-two as he desperately clung on for up to a minute, before later dumping the vehicle on Bisley Old Road in Stroud, where it was found by a member of the public at about 8am. Mr Shadwick, 63, who used his mobility scooter as his mode of transport, was left overnight in sub-zero temperatures and found unresponsive in the car park on Stratford Road, Stroud, hours later at 6am. He later died in hospital.

Gloucestershire Police described the actions of the defendant as “sickening” and said she knew Mr Shadwick, who had severe Parkinson’s, was “extremely vulnerable”.

Hawkins, of no fixed address, previously pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter, as well as charges of aggravated vehicle taking, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, in relation to Mr Shadwick’s death. She was sentenced to six years and six months imprisonment at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday – for the three offences connected to Mr Shadwick’s death as well as for other separate charges.