Andrew Jones jailed for 14 years after leaving pensioner for dead in brutal West Bromwich car-jacking

Jailing Andrew Jones today, a judge branded him a "cowardly" individual who had shown no remorse after driving over his 78-year-old victim Reg Stocking in his Peugeot 207, earlier this year.

Jones, 34, was convicted of wounding with intent, robbery, burglary and witness intimidation after a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court earlier this year.

Sentencing "dangerous" Jones at Birmingham Crown Court, Judge Stephen Eyre QC, said: "It's apparent that if you're at liberty you're determined to continue offending and will use serious violence on those who get in your way."

He added: "The lack of remorse was also shown in that your girlfriend, at your prompting, brought down an ice cream for you to eat on your return home.

"You did serious harm to Mr Stocking, but as long as you had money for drugs you weren't the least bit concerned."

Retired security worker Mr Stocking was left in intensive care after suffering critical head injuries inflicted when Jones ran him down, dragging the elderly man along the road for several yards in West Bromwich on May 10.

The judge said Jones, of Dingle Street, Oldbury, West Midlands, had "reacted with sheer indifference" following his night attack on the pensioner, shortly before 9.20pm.

Mr Stocking and his wife had just returned home from a night at the bingo, when he got out to unlock his garage and park the car.

With his wife in the house, Judge Eyre said the pensioner then "had the misfortune" to cross paths with Jones who, having spent the day taking drugs, had gone out to find money to buy his next score.

Addressing Jones, the judge said: "You started to do what you'd done more than 20 times before. To take a car that didn't belong to you."

Mr Stocking "resisted" the theft but was otherwise left with no memory of the assault.

In a phone call to his girlfriend Jones made shortly after the robbery, the court heard how he described seeing the pensioner's head go "under the car" but rather than showing any concern instead urged her to set up a meeting with his dealer.

Charting the impact on Mr Stocking and his wife of 63 years Syliva, the judge said the formerly active pensioner had been left "virtually house-bound", losing his sense of taste, suffering depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Mr Eyre, addressing Jones via a prison video link, said: "When you were dragging Mr Stocking along under the car you were intending to cause him serious harm. You succeeded.

"The injuries included a fracture to his skull, a fractured jaw, fractured nose, cheeks, eyes sockets and teeth."

The judge went on: "Before your attack he was fit and healthy.

"They (Mr Stocking and his wife) lived a happy and active life together, a life to which they were entitled, after a lifetime of honest endeavour.

"Your actions have changed both their lives.

"Now he's virtually housebound. His wife relied on him for care and has marked health problems of her own."

Jones was separately sentenced to 11 years in prison for robbery of Mr Stocking's car and £80 in cash inside the vehicle.

He was jailed for four years for an unconnected domestic burglary and another year for an unrelated charge of witness intimidation with all the sentences to run concurrently.

Jones will serve at least two thirds of his sentence in prison, with an extended licence period of four years.

Afterwards, David Stocking, the victim's son who was in court for the sentencing, said the 14-year tariff was "not enough".

Describing "scumbag" Jones' lack of remorse as "sickening", he added: "He's ruined dad's life and I'd rather he was locked up for the rest of his."