Man admits manslaughter after dragging victim under car

A motorist dragged a woman under his car for half a mile before leaving her body on the road side



Nawelle Ormerod was fatally injured in the Nuneaton incident, in what a prosecutor said was one of the worst hit and run cases they had come across.

Pierce Whelan, 36, had been smoking cannabis and drinking before he hit Ms Ormerod and another pedestrian.

He admitted Ms Ormerod's manslaughter and also causing serious injury to a pedestrian.

He will be sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on 6 February.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said he dragged Ms Ormerod "under his car for around 900 metres before leaving her body on Marlborough Road".

The second pedestrian, a 28-year-old man, was thrown over Whelan's car and suffered broken bones and cuts to his arms, the CPS said.

Witnesses reported seeing Whelan, of no fixed abode, hit the two pedestrians with his Peugeot 406 at the junction of Roanne Ringway and Coton Road as they crossed the road to a footpath protected by a railing fence on 19 June 2021.

"This is one of the worst hit and run cases I have come across," said senior crown prosecutor Emily Clewer.

"Pierce Whelan knowing fully well he had hit someone failed to stop at the scene and continued driving his car with no regards for Nawelle Tina Ormerod who was trapped beneath his car."

She said he had been "drinking and smoking cannabis" earlier and although a taxi had been called, he was seen on CCTV driving away from an address knowing he was unfit to drive.

After the crash, the defendant was captured on CCTV driving with his window down because of the severe damage to his windscreen.

He was arrested when he went to a police station later that day.

Man who dragged hit-and-run victim under car jailed



A driver who dragged a woman under his car for more than half a mile before leaving her body on the roadside has been jailed.

Pierce Whelan had been smoking cannabis and drinking before he hit Nawelle Ormerod and another pedestrian in Nuneaton on 19 June 2021.

He admitted Ms Ormerod's manslaughter and also causing serious injury to the male pedestrian.

He was sentenced to 14 years in prison at Warwick Crown Court on 3 March.

The court heard Whelan was driving his father’s Peugeot 406 along Roanne Ringway at the junction of Coton Road in the town when he hit the two pedestrians.

A 26-year-old man was thrown over Whelan's car and suffered life-changing injuries.

He then hit and dragged Ms Ormerod, a 37-year-old mother of one, under his car for about 1km before leaving her body on Marlborough Road, police said.

The motorist failed to stop for the victim who was later declared dead at the scene.

After the crash, the defendant was captured on CCTV driving with his window down because of the severe damage to his windscreen.

He was arrested when he went to a police station later that day.

Insp Michael Huntley, from Warwickshire Police, said Whelan's actions had been "devastating" for Ms Ormerod's family.

"Lives changed forever on that day, including the life of the man who was also hit by Whelan’s car," he said.

"Mr Whelan behaved in a totally irresponsible manner in driving whilst unfit and then failing to stop and remain at the scene of the collision, which ultimately led to devasting consequences," he added.

The 36-year-old, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the two charges at a hearing on 13 December 2022.

He was also disqualified from driving for life.