A father who twice ran over his daughter’s body with his car, crushing her to death while “totally consumed with anger”, has been found guilty of her murder. Nigel Malt, 44, ran over 19-year-old Lauren Malt outside the home in West Winch, Norfolk, where she lived with her mother and younger siblings on January 23 this year.
Afterwards he put her body into his passenger seat and drove her to hospital in King’s Lynn where she was pronounced dead, Norwich Crown Court heard. Malt’s black Mercedes C200 involved in the collision was seized at the hospital and taken for examination by crime scene investigators.
Malt, who was estranged from his wife and children, was living separately at a different address in Lynn Road, King’s Lynn. He denied his daughter’s murder, claiming it was an accident saying he thought he had hit a wheelie bin.
However he was found guilty following a trial. Jurors returned their unanimous verdict on Monday after just over a day of deliberations.
Enquiries by the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team revealed Malt had been estranged from his family following several domestic incidents. The court heard that in 2019, Malt was alleged to have reversed toward Lauren in threatening manner almost hitting her leg. The matter was investigated at the time, but no further action was taken against Malt.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Holly Evans, welcomed the verdict. She said: “Lauren needlessly lost her life at the hands of her father, the very person who should protect her and keep her safe. In a fit of rage, Malt chose a course of action that night which would have fatal consequences for Lauren and lifechanging ones for the rest of their family.
"We’re pleased with this verdict and hope Malt will take responsibility for his actions. Our thoughts remain with Lauren’s family and friends."
Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, had previously told jurors that Malt argued with Ms Malt and threatened her boyfriend, Arthur Marnell, with a crowbar in Leete Way then “reversed his car into and knocked over his daughter”. He added: “Having knocked her to the ground he then reversed his car over her.
“He stopped, then he drove the car forward again over her body. These actions killed Lauren Malt, and later examination of her body revealed bruising, lacerations and crushing injuries to her head, torso, arms and legs.”
A post-mortem examination recorded that she died of significant traumatic injuries to her chest and abdomen. “Effectively she was crushed to death,” Mr Jackson said.
Mr Jackson said that after Malt “failed in his bid to inflict violence” on Ms Malt’s boyfriend and she told him to go home “he was totally consumed with anger”. He added that the “estrangement from his wife and family no doubt fuelled his anger”.
Malt’s wife, Karen Malt, had reported him to police in April 2021 for assaulting her, the prosecutor said, with the defendant arrested and bailed at the time. Mr Jackson said that, on the evening Ms Malt was killed, Malt went to the shop where his wife worked, drove to her home and made repeated phone calls.
“The defendant’s relationship with his family was broken and it was something he wasn’t prepared to accept,” said the prosecutor. While at the shop where his wife was, he made 19 attempted calls to the landline of her home, where Ms Malt and her boyfriend were, between 6.25pm and 6.52pm.
He had driven to the home earlier but nobody answered the door to him. Malt’s “persistent” calls went unanswered, Mr Jackson said, then the defendant made three further calls, with the final one answered and lasting one minute and six seconds.
“It appears Lauren did answer that call,” Mr Jackson said. “The defendant, of course, knows full well what was said in that call to Lauren, but Lauren’s now dead.
“Within two minutes of that call ending, the defendant then left the West Winch shop and drove directly to Leete Way. Something in that call caused him to leave and go back to Leete Way.”
Malt argued with Ms Malt and her boyfriend, Mr Marnell, and tried to assault Mr Marnell with a crowbar, Mr Jackson said. Mr Marnell escaped unharmed.
After Malt ran over his daughter, he said “don’t get the police”. Mr Jackson said Malt put Ms Malt’s body in his front passenger seat and drove her to the shop where his wife worked, then on to hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Judge Anthony Bate adjourned the case for sentencing on a date to be fixed in August.
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