A mother has described the terrifying moments before her cousins allegedly rammed her family's car off the road, resulting in the death of her four-year-old son and catastrophic injuries to her husband. Hayley Maughan sent desperate voice notes to her mother during the pursuit along the A2 in Kent on June 1 last year, expressing her certainty that "they wouldn't stop" as the chase unfolded.
The Fateful Journey Home
Hayley Maughan was travelling with her husband Lovell Mahon, who was driving, and their two children - four-year-old Peter and one-year-old daughter Annarica. The family had been returning home from Maidstone High Street when they encountered Hayley's cousin Owen Maughan, 27, and his father Patrick, 54, by chance around 9pm.
Maidstone Crown Court heard that both men had been drinking extensively at the Jolly Knight pub and City Wall wine bar in Rochester, with Owen consuming approximately 12 bottles of beer and Patrick around 13 bottles before the incident.
A Pursuit Turns Deadly
What began as a chance encounter quickly escalated into a dangerous pursuit. The father and son pair began tailing the family's vehicle in their Ford Ranger Wildtrak for several miles along the A2 motorway. Dashcam footage from three lorries captured the escalating situation from approximately 9.20pm.
Hayley documented parts of the chase on her phone, sending video clips and voice messages to her mother Erica Maughan. In one message, she could be heard saying: "Told you they haven't stopped," followed by "I knew they wouldn't." Just two minutes before the fatal collision, she added: "He's still following."
The Moment of Impact
At approximately 9.26pm, when the family was just over a mile from their home in Brakefield Road, Southfleet, Owen Maughan's vehicle clipped their car at around 60mph. The impact caused their vehicle to spin out of control and roll up to three times before coming to rest upright against a hedge.
Prosecutor Richard Jory KC told the jury that Owen had used his vehicle "as a weapon," with the prosecution arguing this was a case of murder rather than an accident.
Devastating Consequences
The collision had catastrophic consequences. Four-year-old Peter was thrown from the vehicle and suffered what were described as "severe and devastating" injuries to his head, chest and abdomen. He was pronounced dead at nearby Darent Valley Hospital shortly after 10pm.
Hayley and her daughter escaped with minor injuries, but her husband Lovell Mahon, then 24, suffered multiple fractures and brain trauma that have left him unlikely to ever walk again.
A Mother's Testimony
In her police interview, Hayley described the overwhelming fear she experienced during the chase. "I started panicking. I could feel my heart racing," she told officers. "I just felt like something was gonna happen."
She recalled screaming at her husband to "drive on" while simultaneously begging him to "slow down" because "you're gonna kill us." The pursuit felt like "a never-ending road" to the terrified mother.
Seatbelt Tragedy
Hayley revealed during questioning that while the children had been properly strapped in when they began their journey, Peter had a habit of undoing his seatbelt or putting it behind his back. Distraught, she explained: "Maybe if I'd checked he would have been alive but I never. I was so scared I didn't think about it."
Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
Following the collision, the Maughans drove away from the scene with one of the children's pushchairs stuck under their chassis. They paused in Longfield for Patrick to remove the registration plate before abandoning the vehicle in Hextable.
The court heard that during the encounter, Hayley's husband had "verified" to Owen and Patrick that children were present in their vehicle. Hayley told police she could think of no reason for her cousins' actions, stating there was no feud and her husband didn't know either man.
Courtroom Developments
Owen Maughan has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Peter Maughan, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Lovell Mahon. However, he denies causing GBH with intent to Mr Mahon and two offences of attempting to cause GBH with intent regarding Annarica and Hayley Maughan.
Patrick Maughan denies all charges against him, including murder, manslaughter, causing death by dangerous driving, and multiple GBH offences relating to the other family members.
The prosecution argues that while Owen was driving, he was being "actively encouraged" by his father Patrick. Both men, from Hill Rise in Darenth, deny murder charges as their trial continues at Maidstone Crown Court.
