Man who killed girlfriend's brother pictured as he's found guilty of murder
Stephen Bates, 42, has been found guilty of murdering Martin O'Donovan when he hit him with his Ford Fiesta outside his sister's home in Liverpool while heavily intoxicated
A man who ran over and killed his girlfriend’s brother on the night they first met has been pictured for the first time after being found guilty of murder.
Martin O'Donovan, 47, died after being hit by Stephen Bates’ Ford Fiesta outside his sister’s home in Woolton, Liverpool, following a family gathering to celebrate their mum’s 70th birthday. What began as a cheerful evening ended in tragedy after Bates, 42, became heavily intoxicated on a mix of Jägerbombs, Stella Artois, Red Bull, and vodka, a court heard.
Jurors heard that while the two men “hit it off straight away” at the start of the night, tensions exploded when Bates insisted on driving home despite his protests from his girlfriend, Susanne Lewzey.
The Liverpool ECHO reports a row turned violent, and the pair became embroiled in a drunken punch-up. Bates was heard shouting at Mr Martin after the altercation had been split up, saying: "Look at you. You're a f***ing p***y. You're a c***. You're all c***s." Witnesses said Bates later threatened to “pay someone to come and get” Martin before returning to the house and deliberately driving straight at him.
Mr O'Donovan was left trapped under the car and had to be pulled free by relatives. He was rushed to hospital, but died from catastrophic head injuries in the early hours of April 19.
When arrested, Bates told officers: “I know what I’ve done, I’ve f***ed up.” After a two-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court, Bates was found guilty of murder by a majority verdict of 10 to two. Gasps and cries of “yes” were heard from the public gallery as the verdict was delivered. Bates, dressed in a white shirt and navy tie, stood in the dock with his head bowed as some of his supporters wept.
Judge Neil Flewitt KC told him: "As I am sure that you appreciate, the only sentence I can, by law, pass upon you is a sentence of imprisonment for life."
"I have to determine the minimum term you will have to serve before you can be considered for released on parole. I am grateful to the families on both sides for the dignity with which they have behaved this afternoon." Bates was remanded in custody until sentencing on November 28.
During the trial, the court heard that Bates, from Mossley Hill, had become “progressively more inebriated” during the evening, and, after refusing to take a taxi, a fight broke out between him and Martin outside the family home.
Bates was later driven home by another of Martin’s sisters but remained “furious” and “seething” during the journey, allegedly threatening to kill him. Just minutes later, Bates took back his car and sped back to the scene, where Martin was sitting on a wall outside the house. Prosecutors said he “suddenly turned and drove straight at him”, revving the engine even after the impact.
Martin suffered devastating injuries and was pronounced dead at 4.32am. A post-mortem found he had been run over at least once, suffering extensive head, chest and abdominal trauma.
Prosecutor John Benson KC said: "It was clear to medics that he was critically injured. He suffered two cardiac arrests before he was taken to hospital. Lifesaving procedures were undertaken. These were futile. He was pronounced life extinct at 4.32am on the 19th of April at 47 years of age.
"The injuries supported a conclusion that Martin O'Donovan had been run over at least once. The injuries to his skull were extensive. He also suffered extensive chest and abdominal injuries."
Bates later phoned 999, telling the operator: "I've just run someone over on Stonyhurst Road. I think they're dead. They're not moving. They're not breathing. We had an argument, and I've run him over. You need to send someone quick. I've done the crime. I don't know what we were arguing over, but it's my girlfriend's brother."
Giving evidence, Bates denied deliberately hitting Martin, claiming he had lost control of the car while trying to park. He said he only realised what had happened when he saw Martin’s legs under the vehicle.
He told jurors he called emergency services “to get help for Martin”, adding: “I couldn’t believe it.” When asked who was responsible for the death, Bates replied: “Me. ’Cos I shouldn’t have been driving.” But prosecutors said Bates had been “out for revenge” after being punched during the earlier fight and accused him of deliberately driving at his victim in anger.
They told the jury that Bates was “seething” and “obsessed” after being humiliated in front of the family. Mr Benson KC said: "I am going to say that you did see him and deliberatively drove your car at him. He jumped off the wall to avoid being struck by your car. Your car collided with the wall at the place that he had been sitting.
He went under your car, and you saw that. Then, you attempted to drive forwards, and you did drive forwards, at an angle." Bates denied those claims, insisting he only went back to “sort things out” with his girlfriend.
The jury rejected his version of events, convicting him of murder after more than 13 hours of deliberation. He will be sentenced later this month.