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Life sentence for murderer who deliberately drove into victim's car

A Black Country man faces life behind bars after being found guilty of murdering a man he deliberately rammed with his car.

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Samuel Rogers was jailed for life after being found guilty of murder. Photo: West Midlands Police

Samuel Rogers was sentenced to life imprisonment at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday. with a minimum tariff of 22 years to run alongside the sentence he is currently serving for wounding with intent and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Rogers, from Radford Drive in Pelsall in Walsall, was found guilty of murder by a jury at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday, June 17, nearly seven years after driving his car into the Ford C-Max of Paul Maloney.

Mr Maloney was left a tetraplegic from the crash, which happened on September 1, 2015 when Rogers, who was almost two times over the drink drive limit, used his car as a weapon against Mr Maloney and his wife on Melchett Road in Kings Norton.

Paul Maloney died in hospital from pneumonia and sepsis after the incident. Photo: West Midlands Police

Rogers was arrested by officers from West Midlands Police at the scene as paramedics performed CPR on Mr Maloney, having initially left the scene but returning shortly after and being pointed out by witnesses.

The original investigation found that Mr Maloney had just pulled over to help the driver of the car in front, after Rogers had deliberately driven into her.

Rogers had followed the woman, who he knew, from her home in Stirchley where they had earlier had an argument in which he said he wanted her dead.

When Mr Maloney died in hospital on November 19, 2016 aged 52, the force reopened its investigation and said it needed to understand if his death was a result of the injuries caused by Rogers months earlier.

For the past six years, the force has worked with specialist doctors and legal experts to re-examine all of the evidence.

Medical experts independently concluded that the conditions Mr Maloney died of were directly linked to his injuries, meaning that he would not have died if Rogers had not driven into him.

Rogers was sentenced to 20 years and six months after having pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and will now spend a minimum of 22 years in prison.

His family said: “We wish to thank West Midlands Police for their dedication and support.

"Paul faced his injuries with courage and dignity. Paul’s death has had a profound effect on many people and his memory lives on in all who knew him.

"His family and friends request privacy at this difficult time.”

Police staff investigator Jon Chew, who led the investigation, said: “Paul should not have died so young. Our investigation proved that.

“The only reason he will never see his family grow is because Samuel Rogers deliberately drove his car into Paul’s.

"Independent experts proved that his death was directly linked to the injuries he sustained on that day six years ago.

“Paul’s family have experienced an extraordinary level of trauma and heartache because of Samuel’s actions.

"I hope today’s verdict gives them some comfort as they continue with their lives without Paul.”

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