A motorist has been jailed after he ran over a man at an M1 service station. Marcus Knowles, from Blackpool, drove into the victim in a car park at the Leicester Forest East southbound service station at around 11.30pm on June 18 last year.
Van driver Knowles, 30, left the victim, in his 40s who had travelled from North Wales for a Christian convention, with an open fracture to his right tibia and fibula. The victim said Knowles had driven the van at him before then driving off.
He also told police that in February 2021, messages were sent by Knowles in a WhatsApp group in which he had threatened to kill him. The day after the incident, police found Knowles’ van in Smithy Lane, Hinckley. Further enquiries were undertaken, with officers from Leicestershire driving to Blackpool to arrest him – finding him hiding in a caravan under a bed.
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On December 13, Knowles, of St Walburgas Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Appearing at Leicester Crown Court on Monday, March 28, he was sentenced to eight years behind bars. He was also given a four-year extended licence and banned from driving for eight years and seven months.
Detective Constable Tom White, the investigating officer at Leicestershire Police, said: “As a result of the collision, the bones in the victim’s leg were shattered and he now has nails and screws in them. The collision has had a significant impact on his life and I hope he is able to make a full recovery.
“It was clear that Knowles had been planning to cause serious injury to the victim for some time and that this wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. He knew what he wanted to do. He then tried to evade officers but was soon found. I am pleased he has been brought to justice and is now serving a significant custodial sentence.”
