THE mum of a four-year-old boy sent texts “fearing for her life” before her cousin allegedly rammed her and her son off the road during a high speed chase.
Peter Maughan tragically died when his parents’ truck was run off the road in an allegedly deliberate high-speed hit-and-run.
The four-year-old’s grandmother has told a jury of the horror and panic she felt as the family were chased.
On the evening of June 1 last year, Peter’s grandmother Erica Maughan received a series of WhatsApp voice notes from her terrified daughter.
The exchange lasted just four minutes, but brought “a thousand things” to Erica’s mind as her daughter was pursued along the A2 London-bound in her Ford Ranger Wildtrak.
Erica’s daughter Hayley and her husband Lovell Mahon, together with their two children, Peter and his one-year-old sister Annarica were all in the car as the chase unfolded.
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A second Ford Ranger – allegedly driven by Hayley’s cousin Owen Maughan with his father, Patrick, 54, in the front seat – chased the family along the road.
Hayley messaged her mum and shared video footage of the truck as it “drove on top” of her and her family.
She told her mother the motor was getting very close to hers and said she feared for her life because she thought the car was “trying to ram” them.
Erica tried to keep her daughter calm as the chase continued, telling her to carry on driving until they made it home to Southfleet, Kent, where she hoped they would be safe.
In court, the grandmother revealed her increasing panic as the pursuit continued before it tragically culminated in a collision that claimed the life of young Peter.
Hayley’s first messages to her mother reportedly identified her cousin and described him as being “mowldy” – a traveller term for drunk.
The initial messages also stated that he was “driving on top” of them.
The grandmother said she tried “to keep things calm and quiet and let it blow over” as she advised her daughter to “drive on.”
But the relentless pursuers would not give up, despite Hayley trying multiple times to get away.
The terrified daughter sent several more messages and videos to her mother as the chase continued.
One read: “We have driven on 20 times. What is wrong with people?
“Man’s trying to drive on top of us. Genuinely in fear of my life. He is trying to ram into us.”
Erica replied, telling Hayley to make her way home, before adding that she should “ram them.”
She explained the remark, saying: “I was so panicked I didn’t really know what I was saying.
“There were a thousand things going through my head and I just wanted to get them home safe.”
Video footage was later sent to Erica showing the two motors side by side at a roundabout at the end of an exit slip road.
The footage showed Lovell Mahon, Hayley’s husband, shouting out of his window at Owen and Patrick Maughan, telling them “Children are in the motor.”
Within 12 seconds of that encounter Erica’s messages and calls began to go unanswered.
A court heard that the family’s truck had been rammed in the rear at around 60mph.
The collision caused it to spin out of control and roll three times before finally coming to a halt at a right angle across the road.
Erica told police: “I didn’t know what was going on, where they were. I was feeling so frightened for them. I had no idea what was going on.”
Hayley’s cousin Owen and his father Patrick, who are accused of ramming the motor off the road and killing four-year-old Peter, fled the scene in their motor after the smash.
A Tesla driver and his passengers would then discover a screaming Hayley, carrying her bleeding daughter in one arm and limp Peter in the other.
They were rushed to Darent Valley Hospital by the heroic passers-by but tragically nothing could be done to save Peter.
The youngster was pronounced dead by medical staff shortly after arriving in hospital.
He had suffered severe and devastating injuries to his head, chest and abdomen.
Hayley and her daughter luckily escaped with only minor injuries, but husband Lovell, then 24, suffered several fractures and brain trauma, leaving him unlikely to walk again.
Both of the defendants were in a “fury” when the parties encountered one another on the A2, the prosecution said.
Owen and Patrick had allegedly consumed 25 lagers between them before the incident.
A court heard the two families had not spoken for years after a rift developed between Hayley’s dad and his sister.
A week before the tragedy Hayley had reportedly had “a problem” with Owen’s sister at school.
Owen Maughan on trial accused of the murder of Peter Maughan, causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent to Lovell Mahon and attempting to cause GBH with intent to both Annarica Maughan and Hayley Maughan.
Patrick Maughan faces eight charges – murder and manslaughter in respect of Peter, causing the youngster’s death by dangerous driving, three offences in respect of Mr Mahon, and two of attempting to cause GBH with intent to Annarica and Hayley Maughan.
Owen has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, as well as causing serious injury by dangerous driving and inflicting GBH in respect of Lovell Mahon.
The prosecution alleges that he used his truck as a weapon while being “actively encouraged” by his dad.
The trial continues.
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