Neil Jones, 48, killed Linda Donnelly as she crossed Brewster Street in Bootle, Liverpool, in December 2024. Just over a year later, he drove dangerously at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet, assaulted a family, brandished a claw hammer, and reversed into another car, trapping a man.
Fatal crash
On December 12, 2024, at around 7.45pm, Mrs Donnelly, known as Lin, was crossing Brewster Street. She reached the central reservation and continued into the second section of the dual carriageway. She had been in the road for about four seconds before being hit by Jones' Ford Focus. A taxi driver behind saw 'something fly into the air'. Jones told witnesses: 'I hit her, I hit her. It was an accident.'
Jones claimed the victim 'just ran out in front of him' and later told a police officer 'the next minute a woman just ran out in front of his car and he didn't see her'. However, prosecutor Zahra Baqri said: 'The footage clearly shows that Mrs Donnelly did not run into the road.' Jones was travelling at roughly 45mph on the 30mph road. Ms Baqri added: 'It is the crown's case that, if the defendant had been travelling at the legal limit of 30mph, the tragedy could have been avoided.'
Road rage at Cheshire Oaks
On December 23, 2025, retired police officer Martin Alwyn was at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet with his two adult sons and two grandchildren, aged five and nine. While crossing the road, Jones 'drove his car towards them at speed'. Ms Baqri told the court: 'Mr Alwyn thought that the defendant was going far too fast for that built up area. It was very busy... The defendant seemed to make no effort to slow down.'
One of Mr Alwyn's sons, Mark Brough, shouted for Jones to slow down and threw soft toys at the car. Jones slammed on his brakes, parked in a disabled bay, and approached the family aggressively. He shouted: 'What have you done to my f***ing car? Who the f*** are you? I'll f***ing kick your head in. Don't you dare throw anything at my car or I'll smash your face.' He pushed Mr Alwyn, threw punches, and then retrieved a claw hammer from his boot, brandishing it and charging at another witness, though the hammer did not make contact.
Jones then got back in his car and reversed, colliding with another vehicle and trapping Jonathan Adamson between the two cars. Ms Baqri said: 'Mr Adamson describes pain shooting through his legs... He shouted and screamed out in pain. The defendant then drove forwards and sped off.'
Sentence
Jones admitted causing death by careless driving, dangerous driving, making threats with an offensive weapon, and two counts of assault. He has 23 previous convictions for 34 offences, including speeding and assaults. Callum Ross, defending, said: 'He accepts, given his plea, that, ultimately, he is responsible for the tragic death of Mrs Donnelly as a result of his carless driving. To put it very bluntly, he will have to live with that for the rest of his life.'
Judge Simon Medland KC sentenced Jones to 51 months in prison and banned him from driving for 51 months, ordering an extended retest. He also issued restraining orders preventing Jones from contacting the victims' families for seven years. The judge said: 'But for your driving, there is every reason to suppose that she would be alive today. I accept that you did not intend her the slightest harm.'
