Rogue roofer who killed woman on golf course during police pursuit is jailed

A rogue roofer who ran over a mother-of-three on a golf course during a police chase has been jailed for 13-and-a-half years for killing her.

John McDonald, 52, admitted causing the death by dangerous driving of 62-year-old Suzanne Cherry, who was ploughed into by a van that was being followed by police at Aston Wood Golf Club in Shenstone, Staffordshire, where she was playing golf with her husband, Clint Harrison, on April 11 last year.

Worcester Crown Court heard 62-year-old Ms Cherry had been looking for her ball near a stream when McDonald hit her, causing her multiple catastrophic injuries that she died from in hospital on April 15, the day before her 63rd birthday.

The van, which had damaged at least five vehicles, reached speeds of 70mph in 30mph zones, drove on the wrong side of the road, mounted pavements and rammed a police car following it at least eight times during a 12-minute pursuit before turning into the golf course, was travelling at a speed of 41mph five seconds before the airbags were deployed, collision investigators said.

The court heard McDonald had braked four-and-a-half seconds before the impact, with Ms Cherry coming into view five seconds before, making a collision inevitable.

McDonald and his passengers Brett Delaney, 35, and McDonald’s son Johnny McDonald, 23, fled the scene after causing catastrophic injuries to Ms Cherry, with prosecution counsel Michael Burrows KC telling the court the driver stepped over her body as he ran away.

While Delaney and Johnny McDonald are not held responsible for the collision, the pair, along with John McDonald, admitted conspiracy to commit fraud in relation to poor roofing work carried out under the guise of a company called Approved Roofs Ltd in the West Midlands.

When the van caught the attention of the police in Kingstanding, Birmingham, on the morning of the fatal collision, they had been following an elderly customer to a cash machine for payment after carrying out substandard work on her roof.

The court heard tens of thousands of pounds had been received from elderly victims for poor and unnecessary roof works.

Jailing all three defendants, who looked down at the floor in the dock, Judge James Burbidge KC said: “Suzanne Cherry and her husband, two people who wholly abide by the law and had everything to look forward to together, were playing golf when you three, in pursuing your criminal ambitions to defraud elderly and vulnerable victims and having been spotted by police, sought to escape punishment.”

Addressing John McDonald, who wore jeans and a brown jacket in the dock, Judge Burbidge said: “You, John, drove the van onto that golf course, a public place, and drove into the unsuspecting Suzanne Cherry, such that she was killed from the terrible injuries your driving inflicted upon her.

“You killed a person and devastated many.”

The judge said all three had decided they would dishonestly take money from elderly victims by targeting them for roof repairs.

He told the defendants: “Those you sought out were easy targets because they were vulnerable and trusting individuals, as the elderly often are, and want to see the good in people – unlike you.

“John and Johnny, you worked together using the name of Approved Roofs, but it is not clear what, if any, skills you had for that line of work. The evidence suggests none.”

For conspiracy to commit fraud, Johnny McDonald was sentenced to 32 months’ imprisonment and Delaney 28 months, with time served reduced from their sentence.

John McDonald was jailed for 13-and-a-half years, with a concurrent sentence of 48 months for conspiracy to commit fraud.

The judge told him he would have to serve two-thirds in prison before being released on licence.

McDonald said “thank you” as he was sent down to the cells.

The court heard the police officer who was pursuing McDonald’s van was considering leaving the police force because of the incident.

Mr Burrows said: “Because of the impact of what happened on her mental health, she in some way feels responsible, she is not of course.”

Judge Burbidge praised the officers in the pursuit for their “calm, collected, professional attitude”, adding: “They should receive high commendation from their senior officers if they have not already done so.”

Mark Gatley KC, defending John McDonald, said the defendant is suffering nightmares about what he has done and is in poor physical health.

He said: “He accepts full responsibility for his offending, for causing the untimely death of this much-loved woman, sister, mother and wife.

“No-one can really begin to comprehend the pain he has caused but it weighs very heavily upon him.

“He is struck by nightmares on a regular, if not daily, basis and he knows taking this life will haunt him for the rest of his days.

“He knows none of that will bring much comfort to the family but that is the reality.

“John McDonald did everything he could to avoid the collision but it was not possible to do so.

“He knows his actions were selfish, reckless and irresponsible, and cannot understand why he acted this way.”

Judge Burbidge said John McDonald’s actions were “wicked in the extreme”.

He said: “It is clear that you did attempt to brake, but you had insufficient time to avoid her.

“Clint Harrison saw you three run away from the vehicle. He says the person who stepped out of the driving seat actually stepped over Sue.

“He says he saw, in a split second, the driver stutter and look back, but you didn’t stop, John, you sought to save your own skin.”

He added: “Even if you did something to avoid the collision, it was too little, too late.”

Speaking to the media after sentence was handed down, Ms Cherry’s husband paid tribute to her as an “inspiration”.

When asked what he thought about the sentence, Mr Harrison said: “You really don’t know want to know what I think about the sentence.

“I have got no thoughts about them at all. I won’t give them any head space.”

He added: “Everybody loved her. She was an inspiration. All the young ladies wanted to be like Suzanne Cherry because of what she achieved in her life.

“A company owner, advanced motorcyclist, cyclist, scuba diver, and anything else she could jump off or dive off.”