A father-of-two who was canvassing for gardening work was killed after a dispute with the son of an elderly homeowner escalated into a fatal attack.
Liam Green, 45, had been knocking on doors in the Cudworth area of Barnsley offering to cut residents' grass when he called at the home of Mark Wigley's mother. The woman became distressed and contacted her granddaughter.
Fatal Collision on Rose Tree Avenue
Prosecutors said that, shortly afterwards, Wigley, 60, confronted Mr Green and assaulted him during an argument before getting into his white Volkswagen Touareg and driving into him, causing fatal injuries.
The incident took place on Rose Tree Avenue, Cudworth, on April 3. Wigley was arrested three days later and charged with murder, although he maintained throughout the case that he had not intended to harm Mr Green and that the collision was accidental.
Trial and Conviction
He denied murder but after a 16-day trial, Wigley was convicted by a jury of manslaughter earlier this week. On Tuesday, Wigley, of Royston Road, Barnsley, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment at Sheffield Crown Court.
Sarah Wigley and Neil Shaw, who had also faced murder charges, were both acquitted during the trial.
Investigation and Family Response
Detective Inspector Laura Procter, the senior investigating officer in this case, said: "Liam was simply looking for work when he sadly lost his life. He was loved by many, and since his death, my thoughts have been with his family and friends."
"Our investigation team has worked around the clock to understand the circumstances that led to Liam's death. We have carried out numerous enquiries, including CCTV and house-to-house, to build up a comprehensive picture of what happened on that day. My deepest condolences remain with Liam's loved ones, and I hope today's sentencing brings them some closure so that they can now move forward with their lives."
Following the sentencing, Liam's family released a statement saying: "As a family, today marks another painful step since the death of Liam on Friday 3 April 2026. Whilst the court has delivered its sentence, no outcome can bring Liam back or take away the pain of our loss and the devastation our family has endured which we will never recover from."
"We continue to grieve the loss of Liam who was a much-loved son, brother, father to two boys, and loved by many. We would like to say thank you for all the love and support we have been shown these last six months from family, friends, work colleagues and the community we live in, this shows us how much Liam was loved by all."
"We are grateful to the police, emergency services and prosecutors who supported the investigation and the court process. Our focus now is on honouring Liam's memory and supporting each other through our devastating loss."
