Desperate audio captures moment man begs mum not to turn him in for killing disabled man

Steve Hopkins

Gareth Leach and his half-brother Kyle Martin have been convicted of manslaughter

Audio reveals the moment a father who killed a disabled man over a row over a mobility scooter sobs and begs his mum not to dob him into the police.

Gareth Leach is heard crying as he tells his mum Sara Martin not to tell police he attacked Dean Williamson, 45, with his half-brother Kyle Martin.

Leach, 28, and Martin, 22, battered Williamson outside his home because they believed he stole their mum’s disability aid.

In dashcam footage played to Sheffield Crown Court, Sara Martin, 50, tells Leach: “According to Kyle, you got a few kicks in as well.”

Leach snaps: “Kyle better keep his mouth shut” before sobbing: “Mum what do I do?”

Leach’s mum tells him, “tust keep your mouth shut” and insists she’ll tell his brother not to mention his name.

Jurors heard how the brothers kicked and stamped on Williamson outside his house in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, causing him to lose consciousness. Paramedics performed CPR at the scene before rushing him to Rotherham District General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Prosecuting barrister Peter Glenser QC, had told the court: “The attack upon him was short-lived but brutal. Mr Williamson sustained significant injuries to his head and severe trauma to his chest.”

A post-mortem examination concluded he died from a blunt force trauma to his chest resulting in fractures to his rib cage, impairing his lungs. Williamson also suffered a dislocated shoulder and injuries compatible with defence wounds as well as head trauma, but the court heard there was no evidence that the head trauma had caused his death.

The court was told Williamson had suffered from tuberculosis and a breathing disorder needed a mobility scooter.

He had allegedly stolen a mobility scooter from Martin the week before he was attacked and had driven it back to his home.

Glenser said the theft was reported to the police and CCTV footage showed Martin taking the scooter back.

Martin was said to have told her sons about what happened and showed them the CCTV footage.

Leach later shouted at Williamson as he drove past his home and later that day the brothers confronted the disabled man before attacking him.

Glenser said: “Kyle Martin arrived and after a few moments Kyle started running to Dean Williamson. Gareth Leach followed him and there was a confrontation. The Crown say both men were acting together seriously assaulting Mr Williamson and he died of the injuries inflicted.”

Leach and Martin were both found guilty of manslaughter following a three week-long trial, while Sara Martin admitted perverting the course of justice at a hearing in February.

They will be sentenced at a later date.

Speaking after the conviction, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Palmer of South Yorkshire Police, said: “Whatever their feelings towards Dean, there was no excuse for what Leach and Martin did to him.

“They should have taken their concerns to the police and not dealt with their grievances through violence.

“This was a particularly brutal attack – Martin hit his victim’s head against the wall and then stamped on him. ”

Palmer said given the scooter was found and returned the incident was entirely avoidable: “Three lives have now been shattered because of their senseless act.

“Dean has lost his life and Leach and Martin will now go to prison for killing him. Other innocent people have also been caught up this, including the victim’s family and friends and those close to Leach and Martin.”

Leach’s partner Jessica Hammond, 26, was accused of providing untruthful accounts about Leach’s involvement and impeding the investigation. She was found not guilty of perverting the course of justice.

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