Man jailed after leaving a delivery driver with life-threatening injuries

This is the moment a delivery driver was left unconscious in the street after being thrown from the bonnet of his own van:

The driver was on his route in Newbiggin days before Christmas in 2019 when he jumped out of his Citroen Berlingo to drop off a parcel at an address on Derwentwater Road.

Unbeknown to the driver, Anthony Newall, 32, and Adam Gray, 28, had clocked his vehicle.

The thieves waited nearby and when the driver exited his car, Newall jumped in the driver’s seat – taking off at high speed with Gray in their own vehicle following near-by.

The delivery driver bravely tried to halt the car, jumping on the bonnet of the Berlingo in a bid to stop the thieves.

Newall then drove down the street with the victim on the bonnet before he fell off, striking his head on the curb as he hit the ground.

Newall fled the scene, leaving the driver bleeding and unconscious on the street.

The delivery driver was taken to hospital with life threatening injuries where he had to be placed in a medically induced coma.

Following the incident on December 16, an extensive investigation was launched to identify and locate the offenders, and soon Newall and Gray were brought into custody and subsequently charged.

The pair were both charged with robbery, while Newall also faced a further charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Newall, of Sunderland Street, Houghton-le-Spring, appeared before magistrates in Newcastle last year where he pleaded guilty to all charges.

On October 12, Newall appeared at the same court where he was sentenced to five years and four months behind bars and handed a driving ban of seven years and eight months.

Meanwhile, last Monday Gray, of Mill Terrace, Houghton, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court where pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of theft from a vehicle. He was handed a community order, placed on a four month home curfew and given a rehabilitation order. He maintained he was not part of a joint enterprise to commit robbery – and only believed theft was to take place.

With both sentenced, PC Jon Sadler, one of the leading investigating officers, said:

“Luckily, the victim is making good progress but this could quite easily have had a more devastating ending.

“I would like to thank the victim for his bravery and cooperation, and hope this outcome can help offer him some closure.

“Anthony Newall’s despicable actions could have cost the driver his life as well as his livelihood.

“Thankfully, Newall is now behind bars where he has plenty of time to reflect on his appalling actions. We will not tolerate this type of criminality and will use every tactic possible to bring offenders to justice.”