Motorist who made 'deliberate decision' to drive with man on bonnet found guilty of dangerous driving

35-year-old convicted after trial at Douglas Courthouse

A warning that this story contains information which some readers may find distressing.

A Douglas motorist will be sentenced later this month after being found guilty of causing the death of an Onchan man by driving dangerously.

Jackson Joseph Paul, of Palace Road, had denied the offence but was convicted today (14 February) following a trial at Douglas Courthouse.

29-year-old Jordan Thomas suffered significant head injuries after falling from the bonnet of the 35-year-old’s BMW, on Harbour Road, on 25 February 2024.

He was flown to Aintree Hospital but was pronounced dead on 4 March.

Recapping the evidence presented in the case this morning, Deemster Graeme Cook told the jury: “It is your task, and yours alone, to establish where the truth lies.”

‘No Winners’

Addressing the jury, in his closing statement, Prosecutor Roger Kane said Mr Thomas had his ‘whole life ahead of him’ adding: “This is a case in which there are no winners.”

He acknowledged that Mr Thomas’ decision to climb on to the bonnets of passing vehicles, on the night in question, was ‘odd’ adding: “It was intimidating. It was concerning. It would be fair to say he was acting out of the ordinary that evening.”

However Mr Kane said Jackson Paul had ‘exaggerated’ the threat Mr Thomas actually posed when he climbed onto his bonnet and began damaging his windscreen wipers.

“We say that the defendant did not believe there was a threat of death or serious injury,” Mr Kane added.

“There’s no doubt that Jordan Thomas’ behaviour, members of the jury, was idiotic.” – Prosecutor Roger Kane

He told jurors that after initially reversing Mr Paul made the ‘deliberate decision’ to drive forward, going through three gear changes and from 0-33 miles per hour in five seconds, whilst Mr Thomas was lying across the front of his vehicle.

“The idea that the defendant mistakenly thought he was in reverse doesn’t add up,” Mr Kane added.

Referring to two videos, filmed by Mr Paul’s front seat passenger, which showed Mr Thomas in the moments before he fell backwards from the vehicle and into the road he added: “Camera footage doesn’t suffer from memory distortion. It’s said the camera never lies.”

Mr Kane said Mr Thomas’ behaviour ‘left a lot to be desired’ but concluded: “He paid the ultimate price for that, members of the jury. He did not deserve what happened to him.”

‘Impossible Situation’

Closing for the defence advocate Steve Wood described the incident as a ‘grave tragedy’ adding what happened on the night in question was ‘the most extreme set of circumstances'.

“There’s no guidebook for this,” he told jurors before asking them to put themselves in the defendant’s shoes.

Mr Wood said Mr Paul had found himself in a ‘nightmare alternative reality’ asking jurors: "Do you think you might be scared, members of the jury?”

He added the situation - in which Mr Paul had stopped to let Mr Thomas cross the road before he climbed onto his vehicle - had developed ‘out of nowhere’ to an ‘ordinary man, an ordinary motorist, in an unremarkable car’.

Describing Mr Thomas’ behaviour as ‘unpredictable’ he said other motorists had also encountered him in the road but none had been put in the same situation as the defendant when Mr Thomas started ‘reigning down punches’ on the windscreen whilst staring at Mr Paul.

He also questioned why Mr Thomas had not removed himself from the car bonnet in the 17 second period between the defendant reversing and then starting to accelerate forwards.

Describing the defendant’s ‘mistake’ at putting his automatic car into drive rather than reverse he said Mr Paul had suffered ‘sheer panic’ adding: “It was pure, unadulterated, fight or flight.”

“It’s not the defendant who is the instigator of this complete nightmare.” – Advocate Steve Wood

“This is a man who had stopped to let a pedestrian cross the road. He’s a man who doesn’t even have a speeding ticket,” Mr Wood added.

Describing the defendant as an ‘ordinary guy put into an extraordinary situation’ he said in the moment Mr Paul had been left with ‘no real choice at all’.

“The defendant is not cold and calculating. The defendant was placed in an impossible situation by Mr Thomas,” he concluded.  

Verdict

After deliberating for two and a half hours the jury of seven – five men and two women – returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

Jackson Paul was remanded into the custody of the Isle of Man Prison due to Deemster Cook expressing concerns that he would be a ‘flight risk’ before sentencing.

Mr Paul, who was seen with his head in his hands at one point, was told he’ll be sentenced on 24 February.

Addressing the jury, the deemster added: “It is my view that you came to the right decision on the evidence. It was more than careless driving – it was dangerous driving.”