A woman has told a Liverpool Crown Court jury she saw her then-boyfriend “intentionally aim his car” at her brother moments before he was fatally struck. The court heard the incident followed a physical altercation at a family birthday party in Woolton.
Stephen Bates, 42, is currently on trial for the murder of 47-year-old Martin O'Donovan. Bates has pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, but denies murder, claiming the death was a tragic accident.
Key Takeaways
- Susanne Lewzey, the victim's sister and the defendant's girlfriend at the time, testified that she witnessed Stephen Bates deliberately drive towards her brother.
- The incident occurred after a 70th birthday party, where an argument over Bates' intention to drive while intoxicated escalated into a physical fight between him and Martin O'Donovan.
- The prosecution alleges Bates made threats to kill Mr. O'Donovan before returning to the scene in his car.
- The defence maintains the collision was an accident, and Bates was returning to the house to speak with his partner.
A Family Celebration Turns Violent
The jury heard that on April 18, a family gathering was held at Susanne Lewzey's home on Stonyhurst Road in Woolton to celebrate her mother's 70th birthday. The atmosphere was initially described as happy, with around 35 family members present.
Ms. Lewzey told the court that her partner, Stephen Bates, and her brother, Martin O'Donovan, had met for the first time that evening and appeared to get along well, striking up what she described as a "bromance."
However, as the evening progressed, Bates became increasingly intoxicated after consuming a mix of Jagerbombs, Stella Artois, and vodka. A dispute arose when he insisted on driving himself home, despite his condition.
The Altercation
Mr. O'Donovan attempted to intervene to prevent Bates from driving. This led to a confrontation that quickly escalated into a physical fight in the front garden. Ms. Lewzey described the scene to the court, stating, "It all just happened in a flash... they were grappling with each other, then they ended up on the floor."
She testified that both men were punching each other in a brief but intense scuffle. Following the fight, other family members intervened, and arrangements were made for Mr. O'Donovan's sister, Natalie, to drive Bates home.
Alleged Threats Made After the Fight
The prosecution detailed the journey as Natalie O'Donovan drove Bates away from the party. During the 12-minute drive, Bates was allegedly "seething" and "furious" about the earlier fight. The court was told he made repeated threats, stating he would "kill" Martin O'Donovan and would "get someone to kill him."
'It Was Very Deliberate'
The jury heard that after being dropped near his home in Mossley Hill, Bates took his car keys and drove back to Stonyhurst Road, a journey that took only five minutes. Ms. Lewzey was at the front of her house when she saw his blue Ford Fiesta approach.
"The car wasn't out of control, it wasn't going really fast. It was going at quite a normal speed, but it mounted the kerb very deliberately, at an angle," Ms. Lewzey testified. "It wasn't a manoeuvre you would do to park."
She told the court she saw her brother, who had been near a wall, jump out of the way of the initial movement. Her first thought was relief that he was safe. However, she then described a second, more aggressive action.
"A split second later, the car went from that angle to the complete opposite angle, very fast, revved, very deliberate," she said. "All I could see was his legs underneath the car. That's when I came to the realisation he had been hit."
The Aftermath of the Collision
Family members rushed to help Mr. O'Donovan, who was trapped beneath the car. They worked together to lift the vehicle and free him. Paramedics arrived to find him critically injured.
The court heard Mr. O'Donovan suffered extensive head, chest, and abdominal injuries. He went into cardiac arrest twice before reaching the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:32 a.m. on April 19.
Following the incident, Bates reportedly got out of his car and was heard saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, what have I done?" He also made a 999 call, telling the operator, "I've just run someone over on Stonyhurst Road. I think they're dead... We had an argument, and I've run him over."
When police arrived, they noted he was "extremely intoxicated." While being arrested, he told officers, "I know what I've done. I know what I've done is wrong. I've f***ed up."
Defence Claims a 'Terrible Accident'
The defence counsel, Andrew Haslam KC, argued that the events happened quickly in the dark and that Bates did not intentionally target Mr. O'Donovan. In his police interview, Bates claimed he did not see his girlfriend's brother.
Bates told detectives he was returning to the property to speak with Ms. Lewzey after her sister had informed him during the car ride home that she intended to end their relationship. His defence maintains that the collision was a tragic accident.
The prosecution, led by John Benson KC, rejects this claim. Mr. Benson told the jury, "This was no accident. This was a deliberate manoeuvre, carried out in rage in order to enact the threats that he had made minutes beforehand... Martin O'Donovan's death was no unfortunate accident. It was clearly murder."
The trial, presided over by Judge Neil Flewitt KC, continues.