Shocking moment drunk husband mows down cyclist he accused of ruining his marriage
THIS shocking footage shows the moment a man deliberately drove his car into a cyclist he “wrongly believed” was responsible for him losing access to his children.
Mark Whittaker, 46, drove from Portsmouth to Reading in the early hours of October 12 last year to “ambush” Darren Fordred and attack him.
The court heard Whittaker waited at the victim’s house until he saw him set off for work on his bicycle.
He then rammed his car “directly” at Mr Fordred “in excess of 30mph”, throwing him off his bike and onto the windscreen of his car.
The car then smashed into metal railings in Northumberland Avenue, crushing Mr Fordred. His thigh bones snapped in the attack.
Whittaker, of no fixed abode, then started kicking and punching and strangling him while he screamed: “I lost my wife, I lost my family, I lost everything!”
At Reading Crown Court Judge Heather Norton said: “Your intention in doing so was to confront Darren Fordred, who you wrongly believed was responsible for the loss of your access to your children.
“It was your intention from the outset to confront him with the use of violence.”
The judge said Whittaker’s intent to kill was clear from threatening messages he had sent to Mr Fordred before the “sustained and violent assault”, which was carried out under the influence of alcohol.
Whittaker, who denied attempted murder, was jailed for 21 years and will spend a further three years on licence.
Michael Roques, prosecuting, told the court Whittaker had 18 previous convictions from 42 offences.
In a victim impact statement Mr Fordred said: “I have no idea why Mark did what he did but I do know how this has affected me.
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“I am stressed out, in pain all the time, I can’t walk properly and do simple things unaided.
“It makes me feel old before my time. I think Mark is a coward for using his car as a weapon.”
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