A fraudulent roofer has been sentenced to 13-and-a-half years in prison after admitting he caused the death of a mother-of-three during a police chase that culminated on a golf course.
A Fatal Collision on the Fairway
John McDonald, 52, was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court after his van struck and killed 62-year-old Suzanne Cherry at Aston Wood Golf Club in Shenstone, Staffordshire, in April last year. Ms Cherry was playing golf with her husband, Clint Harrison, and was searching for a ball near a stream when the vehicle ploughed into her. She suffered catastrophic injuries and died in hospital on 15 April, the day before her 63rd birthday.
The court heard a detailed account of the dangerous 12-minute police pursuit that led to the tragedy. McDonald's van, which had already damaged at least five other vehicles, was driven at speeds of up to 70mph in 30mph zones, on the wrong side of the road, and mounted pavements. He rammed a police car at least eight times before turning onto the golf course. Collision investigators confirmed the van was travelling at 41mph just five seconds before its airbags deployed.
A Criminal Enterprise Unravels
The court was told that the fatal police chase began after McDonald and his associates attracted attention. On the morning of the collision, they had been following an elderly customer to a cash machine in Kingstanding, Birmingham, to obtain payment for substandard roofing work.
McDonald, along with passengers Brett Delaney, 35, and McDonald's son Johnny McDonald, 23, had all admitted conspiracy to commit fraud. They operated under the guise of a company called Approved Roofs Ltd in the West Midlands, targeting elderly and vulnerable victims for poor and unnecessary roof repairs, receiving tens of thousands of pounds.
Following the collision, all three men fled the scene. Prosecution counsel Michael Burrows KC told the court that the driver, John McDonald, stepped over Ms Cherry's body as he ran away.
Sentencing and Aftermath
Jailing the three defendants, Judge James Burbidge KC condemned their actions. Addressing John McDonald directly, he said: "You 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." He described McDonald's driving as "wicked in the extreme".
John McDonald was jailed for 13-and-a-half years for causing death by dangerous driving, with a concurrent 48-month sentence for fraud. He must serve two-thirds of his sentence before release on licence. Johnny McDonald was sentenced to 32 months for fraud, and Brett Delaney to 28 months.
The court also heard that the police officer pursuing McDonald's van was considering leaving the force due to the mental health impact of the incident, though Judge Burbidge praised the pursuing officers for their "calm, collected, professional attitude".
In a defence statement, Mark Gatley KC said John McDonald accepted full responsibility, was suffering regular nightmares, and that the death would "haunt him for the rest of his days".
Speaking after the sentencing, Ms Cherry's husband, Clint Harrison, paid tribute to his wife as an "inspiration", a company owner, advanced motorcyclist, cyclist, and scuba diver. When asked about the sentence, he said: "I have got no thoughts about them at all. I won't give them any head space."
