Thief drove stolen van over worker before ram-raiding store

A thief who ran over a man with a stolen work van before ram-raiding a supermarket has been jailed for five years and eight months.

Jamie Cunningham, 30, struck newspaper delivery worker Adam McIvor after driving off with his van while the victim clung onto the steering wheel and door.

Advocate depute Bill McVicar said: “Mr McIvor could no longer hold on. He fell from the van onto the road and the van thereafter drove over the top of him, causing serious pelvic injuries.

“The driver made no attempt to stop or enquire after him.”

Shortly after the Blue Iveco van hit Mr McIvor at the Day to Day garage in Harthill, Lanarkshire, it was used to try and ram-raid a shop in Armadale before being abandoned in the West Lothian town.

A judge told banned driver Cunningham at the High Court in Edinburgh that ram raiding was “an outrageous attack”.

Lord Harrower said Cunningham’s offending showed contempt for court orders and he was a menace to other road users.

Cunningham, of Armadale, earlier admitted culpably and recklessly driving the van over Mr McIvor on January 11 to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment and to the danger of his life and stealing the vehicle.

He also admitted careless driving by colliding with a car in Denholm Grove, Armadale and attempting to break into Scotfresh at Ochilview Square in the town by repeatedly driving the van at excessive speed at the store front with intent to steal.

Cunningham, who has previous convictions for drugs, driving under the influence of drugs, theft and shoplifting, was disqualified from driving at the time of the latest crimes and had no insurance.

Mr McIvor was working with John Menzies delivering newspapers when he arrived at the garage at 5.25 am. He began taking bundles of newspapers from the rear of the van when he became aware of the engine starting.

When he got to the driver’s door to investigate he found Cunningham in the driver’s seat and asked: “What are you doing?”

The prosecutor said: “The accused just smiled and continued to accelerate away with Mr McIvor holding onto the door and steering wheel.”

After Mr McIvor fell off and was run over by the rear wheels he was found lying seriously injured by a man on his way to work and emergency services were alerted.

At 6.09 am a Scotfresh manager was notified that an alarm had gone off at the Armadale store and police arrived to find shutters seriously damaged.

Cunningham was later arrested after the abandoned van was found and his DNA was found on the steering wheel and inside driver’s door handle.