Stroud woman jailed for leaving disabled man to die in freezing conditions
She stole the man's mobility scooter before leaving him to die
Last updated 29th Aug 2024
A homeless drug addict who stole a vulnerable man's mobility scooter, leaving him to die in freezing conditions, has been jailed for six years.
Neil Shadwick, 63, was dragged along a road by Kimberley Ann Hawkins, 41, as she sped away from a supermarket.
Gloucester Crown Court heard Hawkins and Mr Shadwick had gone to two cashpoints at about 2.30am on January 22 last year to get money, after a sexual encounter.
CCTV showed the father-of-two and the defendant riding together on the scooter as they arrived at the second cashpoint, at the Tesco superstore on Stratford Road, in Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Hawkins gets off and Mr Shadwick, who had with severe Parkinson's, is seen to get out of the seat and support himself with the scooter as he uses the cash machine.
She then suddenly jumps into the seat and speeds off, leaving Mr Shadwick desperately holding on as he is dragged away from the store.
Further footage shows Mr Shadwick holding on and kicking his legs as Hawkins escapes, causing his trousers to come off.
He falls off near to the Tesco petrol station and then takes about 12 minutes to crawl back to the cashpoint to retrieve his bank card before collapsing on the ground.
The supermarket staff who arrived for work at about 5.45am found Mr Shadwick unconscious outside and alerted the emergency services.
Drifting in and out of consciousness, Mr Shadwick was able to tell them "Kim" and "robbery" before he was taken to hospital, where he died later that day.
Hawkins, who was wearing a coat, scarf, hat and gloves because the temperature was about minus 4C, abandoned the scooter on Old Bisley Road after it ran out of battery.
Mary Cowe, prosecuting, told the court Mr Shadwick was "extremely vulnerable" and lived in supported accommodation in Stroud, relying on carers visiting him four times a day.
"This defendant was known to have come to his home and was a regular visitor from the end of 2021," she said.
"This was a man who was physically vulnerable and that would have been obvious to anyone who visited."
Describing the incident that led to his death, Miss Cowe said: "There comes a point where he has stepped off the scooter and uses it steady himself.
"The defendant climbs in and drives off. Kimberley Hawkins drove the scooter for 57 seconds, dragging Mr Shadwick along the road.
"The defendant continues to move on without stopping and abandons the scooter on Bisley Old Road.
"The temperature that night was below freezing, and it was sufficiently cold for the local council to activate the severe weather emergency protocol.
"Staff working at the Tesco that night described it as freezing and said the temperature was between minus 4C and minus 6C."
She added: "She did what she did out of a fit of pique. It was selfish and spiteful but not premeditated.
"She told a friend she had performed sexual favours for Mr Shadwick and he couldn't pay."