Man jailed for hit-and-run murder in town centre

A man who murdered another man by driving into him in a town centre, before fleeing the scene and trying to hide his car, has been jailed.

Matthew Weller, 44, was struck by a VW Passat in Accrington town centre just after 22:00 BST on 22 April.

Muhammad Haarith, of Exchange Street, Accrington, had admitted manslaughter and denied murder, but was convicted at Preston Crown Court on Friday.

The 23-year-old was given a life sentence, with a minimum of 16 years and five days in prison.

Judge Robert Altham said Weller, who had vulnerabilities, had suffered a "terrifying, agonising and wholly avoidable death".

After the sentencing, Weller's family said he had lost his life in a "violent and undignified way" due to decisions made by Haarith that night.

The trial heard Haarith drove off, leaving Weller severely injured, before taking "calculated" steps to cover his tracks, including destroying his phone and hiding his VW Passat.

Jurors heard Weller shouted at Haarith and his friends before pulling down his trousers, rubbing his bare buttocks on the bonnet of the defendant's car and sitting on it.

CCTV footage showed Haarith brake before driving off with Weller still on the bonnet.

Weller fell to the ground and was run over by the front wheels of the car before being dragged underneath the vehicle along the road and into Birch Street, where the rear wheels ran over him, the court heard.

Weller died from his injuries shortly after 01:00 on 23 April, Lancashire Police said.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was multiple injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle and dragged beneath it.

The court heard Haarith broke his iPhone and left it in a gutter to avoid being tracked by police.

After learning of Weller's death, Haarith handed himself in at Greenbank Police Station in Blackburn.

Det Ch Insp Steve Harry said Haarith's "callous and deliberate actions led to Matthew Weller losing his life in this horrifying manner".

He said Haarith used his car as a "deadly weapon" and "showed a complete disregard" to his life.

Weller's family added: "Mr Haarith left Matthew in the road without a care or concern for him; taking steps to avoid the police whilst Matthew was fighting for his life.

"No sentence will ever feel long enough or bring Matthew back, but we are content that justice has been served for him."

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