Man guilty of causing death by dangerous driving
A man who accelerated while another man was on the bonnet of his car before breaking sharply, propelling him off, has been found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.
Jackson Paul, 35, left Jordan Thomas with serious head injuries after the 29-year-old fell backwards onto Harbour Road in Onchan on 25 February 2024.
Mr Thomas died nine days later in Aintree Hospital in Liverpool.
Paul was found guilty by a jury after a four-day trial at Douglas Courthouse and was remanded in custody until sentencing on 24 February.
Over the course of the trial the court heard Paul had been driving on Harbour Road with his flatmate in the car when Mr Thomas jumped onto the bonnet of his black BMW.
While he had initially reversed, he then stopped, before driving forward and braking while Mr Thomas was on the front of the vehicle.
The court heard the 29-year-old had broken one of the car's windscreen wipers and punched the glass twice before Paul had accelerated.
Giving evidence, Paul said he had thought the vehicle was still in reverse and had moved it forward by "mistake".
In his closing address, his advocate Stephen Wood argued Paul was in "genuine fear of his safety" and in "adrenaline fuelled panic" had thought he was going back but instead moved forward.
But prosecutor Roger Kane said while Paul had "no intention of hurting anyone", he was nevertheless "responsible for the loss of Jordan".
He said the court would "never know" what had caused Mr Thomas to get onto the car but he had "paid the ultimate price".
Mr Kane said there was "no doubt" that Paul's driving caused the death of Mr Thomas, and the driving itself was dangerous, and he had "exaggerated" the level of threat posed.
Paul had made a "catastrophic error of judgement in driving dangerously" and so should be held responsible, however it was "a case where there are no winners", he told the court.
Addressing the jury after the verdict was returned, Deemster Graeme Cook said the case had involved "tragic circumstances" but it was "my view you have come to the right decision".
He said: "The ultimate thing that you had to consider was whether or not he was in immediate danger of serious physical injury or death, and you might have struggled with that.
"It was more than careless driving, it was careless driving."
Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Death by dangerous driving accused 'panicked'
Jury shown video of man on car bonnet before death
Opening of death by dangerous driving trial
Isle of Man Courts of Justice
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