Footage of man on car bonnet before suffering fatal injury played to jury

35-year-old standing trial accused of causing death by dangerous driving

A warning that this story contains information which some readers may find distressing.

The jury in the trial of a Douglas man accused of causing death by dangerous driving has been shown footage of the moment a 29-year-old man fell from the bonnet of his car.

35-year-old Jackson Joseph Paul is standing trial at Douglas Courthouse.

It follows the death of Onchan resident Jordan Thomas; he was involved in a collision with Mr Paul’s BMW near his home, on Harbour Road, on 25 February 2024.

Mr Thomas suffered ‘significant head trauma’ and was airlifted to Aintree Hospital where he died on 4 March.

Mobile Phone Footage

Two videos filmed by Mr Paul’s front seat passenger were played to the court today (12 February).

The first showed Mr Thomas – who was wearing orange shorts and a white t-shirt - lying across the bonnet of the BMW, pulling at the windscreen wipers and dislodging one of them.  

Mr Paul can be heard sounding the horn asking: “What are you doing? Oi!”; Mr Thomas is then seen looking through the windscreen saying: “Go, go, go.”

The second video, recorded moments later, showed Mr Thomas lying over the windscreen of the vehicle, obscuring the view out of it, as it begins to move forward.

The passenger is heard saying: “Slow, slow, slow.”

Mr Thomas is then seen falling from the car into the middle of the road and the passenger exclaims: “We’ve got to get out.”

Witnesses

Evidence from witnesses who had seen Mr Thomas on Harbour Road, before 8pm on 25 February, was also provided to the jury.

One motorist explained thinking he was going to step out in front of his vehicle; he described him as ‘unsteady on his feet’ adding: “He appeared spaced out.”

Another woman told the jury she saw Mr Thomas approach the road as if he was going to cross in front of her.

When she stopped her car he climbed onto the bonnet in a ‘belly flop’ movement before removing himself.  

“It all happened so fast,” she told the court: “I just felt confused. I was just a little bit in shock as well.”

“I was concerned that maybe the guy was a danger to himself or to other drivers.” - Motorist

A third motorist described witnessing Mr Thomas jumping onto that woman’s vehicle before he began walking towards hers.

She reversed away from the scene and took a detour to approach Harbour Road, and her intended destination, from another direction.

When she returned minutes later Mr Thomas was lying in the road injured.

‘Non-Survivable Injuries’.

Details of the post-mortem conducted on Mr Thomas – which showed he’d sustained ‘non-survivable injuries’ – were provided to the jury.

He’d also sustained bruising to his hands.

Jurors were also told a blood sample – which confirmed the presence of over the counter and prescription medication – should be ‘interpreted with caution’.

The court heard Mr Thomas had been struggling with his mental health and had sought help in January 2024 for anxiety, difficulties leaving the house, poor sleep and issues with his concentration and his memory.

'Panic'

The interview Mr Paul gave to police officers, following his arrest at the scene, was read to the court.

He explained that he and his flatmate had been out for a drive when they encountered Mr Thomas on Harbour Road.

Mr Paul said Mr Thomas, who he did not know, had jumped onto his bonnet and began pulling at his windscreen wipers and punching the windscreen.

Honking his horn, Mr Paul said, seemed to ‘aggravate’ Mr Thomas and he told officers: “It was a very panicked moment. I just had to get out of it.”

Describing how he’d reversed initially he said the car then accelerated forwards despite him thinking he was still in reverse: “I hit go (the accelerator) thinking I would go back,” he added.

Mr Paul said he believed Mr Thomas was going to attack him and his passenger adding: “I could see it in his eyes. I knew if he got in (the vehicle) he would do something to me definitely.”

The jury was told Mr Paul recorded negative results for drink and drug tests which were conducted at the scene.

Speed

Two experts in forensic collision investigation also gave evidence to the jury.

PC Clare Sproule-Craine, who works for the Isle of Man Constabulary, explained a series of photos showing the scene of the collision and Mr Paul’s BMW.

She told the jury it was her view that Mr Paul had accelerated through at least three gears moving forwards - whilst Mr Thomas was still on his vehicle - adding he was travelling between 32 and 38 miles per hour.

However private forensic collision investigator Adrian Armstrong told the jury that whilst he agreed with ‘most’ of the police officer’s findings it was his belief that Mr Paul was travelling between 29 and 30 miles per hour instead.

He described the police officer’s speed calculation as an ‘overestimation’ adding: “There’s something wrong in the data somewhere.”

Trial Continues

Jackson Paul denies the charge against him; the trial will continue at Douglas Courthouse tomorrow (13 February).