Elderly man 'killed by car thief'

Mr Bollen suffered a fractured skull

An elderly Bristol man died when he was repeatedly run over with his car when he tried to stop a thief from stealing it, the city's crown court has heard.

Walter Bollen, 76, was thought to have left the keys in his car to open a gate at his home in Green Close, Horfield.

He was run over when he got into a fight with Scott Couch, 23, who was trying to take the car, jurors heard.

Michael Fitton, prosecuting, said Mr Couch had admitted taking and driving the car but denied murder.

Mr Couch had been drinking and was looking for a way to return to his home at Severn beach, about six miles (10km) away, the court heard.

It was then he came across Mr Bollen and his open automatic Skoda Octavia.

Mr Couch leapt into the driver's seat but Mr Bollen turned back to the car to try to drag him out, jurors were told.

Crushing injuries

The pair struggled and witnesses said Mr Bollen was thrown to the ground, possibly after being hit by the vehicle.

Mr Couch is then said to have reversed the vehicle and ran over Mr Bollen twice as he lay on the ground.

Mr Couch sped off before abandoning the car nearby street with a flat tyre and damage caused in the incident, the court heard.

Mr Bollen, a retired Rolls-Royce engineer, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination revealed he had suffered crushing injuries to his chest and internal organs and had a fractured skull.

Mr Fitton told the jury that a witness, Lisa Hill, had seen Mr Couch get out of the car and stand looking at Mr Bollen on the ground.

"This is the car thief, taking time enough to get out of the car and look at the consequences of his action, to see the elderly man who has tried to stop him taking the car, lying on the ground," Mr Fitton said.

"He did that to get an informed choice about what to do next and that choice is at the heart of this case.

"We say the choice he made was fatal for Mr Bollen.

"Lisa Hill saw Scott Couch get back in the car, put it into gear, drive it forwards and move it over the body of Mr Bollen twice," he said.

The trial continues.