Man jailed for killing golfer after police pursuit

A roof repair fraudster who drove his van into a mother-of-three on a golf course after being pursued by police has been jailed for 13 years and six months.

Suzanne Cherry died in hospital in April the day before her 63rd birthday, four days after she was hit at Aston Wood Golf Club in Staffordshire.

John McDonald, 52, had been spotted and pursued by police cars as he worked with two others to defraud elderly victims out of tens of thousands of pounds for poor roof work.

The 52-year-old admitted causing death by dangerous driving at Worcester Crown Court on Monday.

Cherry was at the time playing golf with her husband at the course in Shenstone, near Sutton Coldfield.

Her partner said his wife’s death had left him without a future to look forward to and he only had “an empty present to survive”.

John McDonald, of Booth Street in Bloxwich, was jailed for 13-and-a-half years, with a concurrent sentence of 48 months for conspiracy to commit fraud.

Judge James Burbidge KC told him “you killed a person and devastated many” and he would have to serve two-thirds of his sentence in prison before being released on licence.

For their conspiracy to commit fraud charges, which they pleaded guilty to, co-defendants Johnny McDonald, 23, of Molyneux Road, Dudley, was sentenced to 32 months in prison and Brett Delaney, 35, of Michael Road in Darlaston, 28 months.

They carried out their fake roofing work under the guise of a company called Approved Roofs Ltd in the West Midlands.

“Those you sought out were easy targets because they were vulnerable and trusting individuals,” Burbidge told them.

On 11 April, a police officer in a marked vehicle saw the trio “by chance” and began to follow them after one of them turned their head away after noticing her.

At the time they were spotted, the group were following an elderly customer to a cash machine for payment after carrying out substandard work on her roof, the court heard.

Prosecutor Michael Burrows KC said the van drove off at high speed, on the wrong side of the road, damaging at least five vehicles as it reached speeds of 70mph in 30mph zones and was even used to repeatedly ram a pursuing police car.

John McDonald then drove the van into the golf club and on to the first fairway, with police stopping their pursuit when the van came off the road.

Cherry was looking for a ball near a stream when she was hit.

The court heard John McDonald braked four-and-a-half seconds before the impact, with Cherry coming into view five seconds before, making a crash inevitable.

“[Her husband] shouted to her but there was no time for her to react,” Burrows added.

John McDonald stepped over Cherry’s body as he made off with the other two, the court heard.

The court heard the police officer who was pursuing the van was considering leaving the force because of what happened.

Burbidge praised the officers in the pursuit for their “calm, collected, professional attitude”, adding: “They should receive high commendation from their senior officers if they have not already done so.”

All three defendants previously denied manslaughter charges last year.

Mark Gatley KC, defending John McDonald, said the defendant suffered nightmares about what he had done and was in poor physical health.

“He accepts full responsibility for his offending, for causing the untimely death of this much-loved woman, sister, mother and wife,” he added.

John McDonald said “thank you” as he left the courtroom.

Burbidge said his actions were “wicked in the extreme” and told him he had “sought to save your own skin” as he ran after the crash.

He said: “It is clear that you did attempt to brake, but you had insufficient time to avoid her.

“Even if you did something to avoid the collision, it was too little, too late.”

Det Insp Lisa Holland, from Staffordshire Police, described the sentencing as “an excellent result” but admitted no sentence would be enough for the family.

Asked about John McDonald’s driving, Holland said he had acted in an “appalling” way, adding: “I can’t imagine what was going through their head.”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct had previously launched an investigation into the circumstances leading up to the fatal crash and the involvement of police officers.

“Our investigation, during which all officers were treated as witnesses, was completed in October,” a spokesperson said.

“We will publish our findings at the end of all associated proceedings, including coronial, to avoid any potential prejudice. “