Carjacker who ran over 78 year-old Oldham woman with her own car jailed
Sentenced to 11 years at Minshull Street Court.
A man's been jailed for 11 years after he carjacked a 78-year-old great-grandmother before running her over her with her own vehicle in broad daylight in Oldham. Pensioner Dorothy Cooper was left in a wheelchair and suffering from life changing injuries'' after being followed to her car by career criminal Paul Anthony Moore, 45, who was to tell her that smoke and fire was coming from the rear of her Hyundai. But as Mrs Cooper - who up until the incident had led athoroughly independent life'' - went to inspect the vehicle, Moore - who was locally dubbed Roger the Dodger'' - jumped into the driver's seat and using the car as a weapon reversed at speed, hitting the elderly woman with the vehicle. Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard that Mrs Cooper having been knocked to the floor in the Royton car park in Oldham, Greater Manchester, drug-user Moore then drove over her as she lay helplessly in the car's path. Moore of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery, grievous body harm with intent, dangerous driving and motoring offences including failing to stop at the scene of an accident and driving without insurance. Passing sentence, Judge Andrew Lowcock said it wasa horrible, cruel piece of offending as a result of your selfish desire to get money for drugs''. The court heard that Mrs Cooper had been had been shopping in the town before being followed to her car in Sandy Lane on April 20 by Moore, who had been determined'' to steal a car because he wastoo well known in local shops to shoplift''. Mrs Cooper described feeling as though she was going to die as she likened being rolled over like a ragged doll'' as the car drove over her legs. Following the incident, she was left with a fractured pelvis and vertebra and had needed surgical intervention during her three-month hospital stay. Mrs Cooper had even disclosed to her family that she had wantedto be put out of her misery'' and poignantly said that had she been asked for the car she would have given it to him, rather than suffer injuries that she now has to deal with''. In opening the case, prosecutor Mr Justin Hayhoe said that the pensioner had seen the defendant walking towards her car and had decided to wait safely until he had passed before she set off. Mr Hayhoe said that Moore - who has a long criminal record including dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking and assaulting police officers - had approached the driver's side beforesuggesting that for and smoke was coming out of the rear of the car''. Mr Hayhoe said: At this stage she was sceptical. He was keen and insistent. She began to panic such as how the defendant was acting. She thought better than getting out of the car but because of his insistence she leaned out of the car but couldn't see anything.'' Moore, who had been stood at the rear of the car, then invited her to come and look for herself before telling her he would illustrate it to her by getting into the car.She told him she didn't want his help and told him to get out. She noticed the car was being put into reverse. She said again 'you are going to run me over'. He reversed the car out before she could do anything about it, the car hit her. She was now trapped,'' Mr Hayhoe continued. At the time, Greater Manchester Police released CCTV in an appeal to catch the perpetrator, whilst her grandson, Matthew Cooper, paid tribute to members of the public who had stopped to help his grandmother at the scene. Mr Cooper described her as a very strong lady'' who had just got back on her feet after suffering a difficult few years having lost her son and her husband. He said:Just when she was back on her feet, someone has quite literally knocked her down.'' Defending, Mr Paul Bryning said that Moore had entered guilty pleas so not to prolong Mrs Cooper's anxiety''. He said the offences which were sparked by Moore'sdownward spiral'' and drug use had resulted in some grave and distressing circumstances'' and Moore had showngenuine remorse''.
Judge Lowcock, who also disqualified Moore from driving for nine-and-a-half years, added: You have got a dreadful record, although nothing committed is as bad as this.Whatever sentence I pass will not be enough to give this lady back her life.''