Driver guilty of murder after running over man's head

A man has been found guilty of murder after an altercation between a group of young men in East Sussex escalated as one deliberately drove over another's head.

Jack Field, 24, died after a Mitsubishi Shogun was driven over his head following the fight in Hailsham in November 2023.

Kyle Dumble, 27, denied the charges of murder and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, but was found guilty at Hove Crown Court on Friday.

He is to be sentenced on Monday.

Following the verdicts, Mr Field's family paid tribute to "the most selfless, respectful gentleman".

"He will never be able to be replaced and has left a gaping hole which will never be filled but we will hold him in our hearts forever," they said.

"Although nothing can bring Jack back, we are pleased he has got the justice he deserves."

Amy Packham, prosecuting, previously told the jury that some of Mr Field's friends had got into an argument with one of Dumble's friends, Jimmy Stonestreet, who was parked nearby.

Seeing his friend in a fight, Dumble got into Mr Stonestreet's car and drove it towards Mr Field and his friend, crashing into a parked vehicle that knocked Mr Field into the road, she said.

She said that Dumble then drove over Mr Field's head, killing him instantly, before fleeing the scene.

Witnesses told how Dumble, who was disqualified from driving, looked out of the open driver's window before driving over Mr Field.

During the trial, Dumble claimed that he did not intend to hit anyone and said there had been a fault with the vehicle.

However, as part of the prosecution case, an expert vehicle examiner dismissed any suggestion that it could have accidentally slipped into reverse from drive.

Katie Quincey, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "This was no accident."

She added: "Dumble had every opportunity to leave the scene but chose, in his anger, to use the vehicle like a weapon and run people down."

Mr Field's friend, Jack Johnson, told the court that after the altercation, he heard an engine revving and turned to see a vehicle on the pavement. He said he then heard screaming.

Owain Leaney, who was also part of Mr Field's group of friends, told the court that he was "quite drunk", but remembered an altercation and a vehicle coming towards them.

"It was definitely ramming into us as a group with intent," he said.

Meanwhile, Reece Dumble, 30, was found not guilty of common assault and witness intimidation.

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