Tragic Death of Four-Year-Old Boy in High-Speed Alcohol-Fuelled Chase
A four-year-old boy was killed when his parents' vehicle was deliberately rammed off the road during a high-speed chase by his cousin, who had consumed an astonishing 25 pints of alcohol, Maidstone Crown Court has heard. The horrific incident occurred on the A2 in Kent, leaving the young victim, Peter Maughan, with severe and devastating injuries that proved fatal.
Details of the Fatal Collision
On June 1 last year, Peter was travelling with his parents and baby sister when they passed his mother Hayley's cousins, Owen Maughan, 27, and his father Patrick, 54. The defendants had spent the afternoon and evening drinking in Rochester, with Owen consuming 12 bottles of lager and Patrick drinking 13 pints. Owen was behind the wheel of their vehicle, described as being in a 'fury' as he pursued the family's Ford Ranger.
During the chase, which reached speeds of 60mph, Owen clipped the rear of the family's truck, causing it to spin out of control and roll up to three times. The vehicle came to rest upright on the wrong side of the road, facing a hedge. Peter was thrown from the vehicle and found by his mother lying face down on grass some distance away. He suffered catastrophic injuries to his head, chest and abdomen and was pronounced dead at Darent Valley Hospital.
Family's Harrowing Experience
In a video interview played to jurors, Hayley Maughan described 'panicking, screaming and her heart racing' as her family was pursued. She captured parts of the chase using WhatsApp, sending videos and voice notes to her mother. The footage showed both vehicles pulling up alongside each other at a roundabout, where abuse was exchanged and Hayley's partner, Lovell Mahon, could be heard shouting that there were children in the truck.
Hayley told police that just seconds before the crash, her uncle Patrick was 'blood red' in the face with anger, 'spitting and frothing' at the mouth. She described the collision as deliberate, adding that Patrick had 'revved up' the situation. The family had been 'happy, laughing and joking' moments before the pursuit began.
Devastating Consequences
While Hayley and her one-year-old daughter Annarica escaped with minor injuries, Lovell Mahon suffered multiple fractures and brain trauma that leave him unlikely to ever walk again. Hayley revealed that she had not been wearing her seatbelt during the incident, and although the children had been strapped in when they began their journey, Peter had a habit of undoing his belt or putting it behind his back.
She explained through tears: 'Maybe if I'd checked, he would have been alive, but I didn't. I was so scared I didn't think about it. I just thought 'get home, I'm safe at home, get home'.' After the crash, a passing Tesla driver stopped to help, driving Hayley and the children to hospital while a passenger stayed to search for Lovell.
Legal Proceedings and Denials
Owen Maughan has admitted manslaughter in respect of Peter's death but denies murder. His father Patrick denies both murder and manslaughter. The prosecution argues that by accepting he deliberately rammed Lovell's vehicle, Owen intended to kill or cause really serious harm, while Patrick, as front seat passenger, was 'actively encouraging' the attack.
Hayley told the court there was no known feud between the families and that her husband did not know either Owen or Patrick Maughan. She stated emphatically: 'It wasn't an accident. They knew what they were doing. They had enough time to think. They chased us from, I think it was Cobham, Shorne.'
The court was told it was 'by chance' that the two parties came together on the A2 that night, and the reason for any dispute remains unknown. The trial continues as the family seeks justice for their beloved Peter, who was affectionately known by loved ones as Peter Rabbit.
