Carjack killer 'didn't see woman'

June Everitt was unloading her shopping when she was run over

A man who killed a woman during a carjacking told jurors he had not realised he had run over his victim.

Manny Davis, 30, of St Albans, Hertfordshire, told St Albans Crown Court on the fifth day of his trial: "I wish to God I had seen that lady.

"If I had seen her she would be with us today, wouldn't she?"

Mr Davis has admitted the manslaughter of June Everitt, 52, in Luton on 3 July last year. He has pleaded not guilty to the single businesswoman's murder.

The jury have heard Miss Everitt, a senior buyer, had driven to her garage near her home in Ridgway Road, Luton.

Dragged under car

As she was unlocking the doors, Mr Davis, a drug addict, jumped into the driver's seat.

Miss Everitt was dragged for more than 10 metres as the defendant reversed her Renault Megane car at speed.

She died in hospital a few hours later. On Monday, the jury heard virtually every part of her body was injured.

Giving evidence on Tuesday, Mr Davis, of Artisan Close, St Albans, said he had been aware of hitting something, but did not know what it was.

"I thought it was some holes in the road or some rubbish," he said.

He admitted he was a crack cocaine and heroin addict and had gone to the area to try to steal from a nearby builder's yard for money to buy drugs.

Panicked and cried

He saw Miss Everitt opening the garage door. She started running and shouting when he jumped into the car.

He said he was panicking and struggling to find reverse gear.

"I finally got it in reverse and as I looked behind me I could see no-one."

It was only after he had reversed onto Ridgway Road that he saw Miss Everitt lying in the alley.

He said he was in tears and panicking: "I realised I must have hit her because there was nothing else there that the car could have gone over."

He then drove away at high speed, before dumping the car at the first opportunity, at Somersby Close, Luton, where it was found by police five days later.

Mr Davis was arrested six days after Miss Everitt's death.

The case continues.