Driver accused of murdering four-year-old boy in high-speed hit-and-run said he was going to ‘ram them’ seconds before crash, trial hears

Published: 12:02, 6 February 2026 | Updated: 12:02, 6 February 2026

The driver accused of murdering a four-year-old boy in a hit-and-run crash warned the youngster's uncle he was going to 'ram them' and did not 'give a f***', jurors have heard.

Owen Maughan, 27, allegedly made the threat while chasing his cousin Hayley Maughan, her husband Lovell Mahon, who was driving, and their two children, Peter and one-year-old daughter Annarica.

Owen, and his father Patrick Maughan, 54, as front seat passenger, began tailing the family for several miles along the London-bound A2 motorway between Cobham and Northfleet on Sunday, June 1 last year.

The pair had been drinking in the Jolly Knight pub and City Wall wine bar in Rochester, Kent, where Owen had around 12 bottles of beers and Patrick had roughly 13, the court heard.

Although it is not known where the pursuit began, by approximately 9.20pm it was being captured on dashcam by three lorries.

Six minutes later, Owen, who was behind the wheel of a Ford Ranger pick-up truck, then allegedly clipped Mr Mahon's pick-up at 60mph, causing it to flip and Peter to be flung from the car.

Peter suffered 'severe and devastating' injuries to his head, chest and abdomen, was pronounced dead at nearby Darent Valley Hospital shortly after 10pm. While his mother and sister escaped with what were said to be minor injuries, his father, then 24, suffered multiple fractures and brain trauma leaving him unlikely to ever walk again.

Jurors were told that Hayley's brother Jason Maughan received unexpected messages displaying thumbs-up emojis from Owen via Facebook [2] messenger seconds before the fatal crash.

Owen Maughan, 27, and Patrick Maughan, 54, are accused of the murder of Peter Maughan (pictured), who died on June 1, last year

Pictured: Hayley Maughan and Lovell Mahon and their children, Peter, and then one-year-old sister, Annarica Maughan

Patrick Maughan, 54, is pictured outside court.

Maughan disputes encouraging or assisting his son

He did not have him as a Facebook friend and, in response, he sent back a question mark.

When that went unanswered, Jason phoned him, jurors were told.

That call, logged on phone records as starting at 9.24pm and lasting one minute and 56 seconds, is estimated to have ended within seven seconds of the fatal collision occurring, say the prosecution, with Jason hearing a 'clunking noise' before the line disconnected.

Giving evidence at Maidstone Crown Court, he said he remembered the incident 'like it was yesterday.'

He told the jury he was lying on his bed at his home in Wrotham Heath when he received the emojis from Owen and sent 'PP' in response.

Having explained he used 'P' to mean a question mark, Jason said: 'I called Owen, he answered the phone, he told me that him and his dad had been in Rochester drinking all day.

'He then said he bumped into Hayley and Lovell on the A2 or M2 motorway.

'He told me they were arguing from the window and Hayley was videoing him out the window with her phone.

'I said to Owen "Well, why are you calling me? What's it got to do with me? He told me he was going to ram the vehicle".'

Jason added that Owen said that 'he was arguing with Hayley and Lovell through the window'.

He continued: 'I said "What's it got to do with me?

If you have a problem with Lovell, sort it out with Lovell".

'He then said he was going to ram the truck.'

Asked by prosecutor Richard Jory KC what his best recollection of Owen's words were, he replied: 'I'm going to ram them.'

'Do you have any doubt about the use of the word 'ram'?' asked Mr Jory.

'No,' Jason responded.

Mr Jory then asked: 'Did he say anything else at about that time?'

Jason answered: 'We don't give a f***.'

After hearing the 'clunking noise' Jason said he 'tried to call Owen's number back in which it rang twice', adding that he was 'sure he pushed the red button'.

$Peter suffered 'severe and devastating' injuries to his head, chest and abdomen, was pronounced dead at nearby Darent Valley Hospital shortly after 10pm. While his mother and sister escaped with what were said to be minor injuries, his father, then 24, suffered multiple fractures and brain trauma leaving him unlikely to ever walk again$

Owen, who was behind the wheel of a Ford Ranger pick-up truck, allegedly clipped Mr Lovell's pick-up at 60mph, causing it to flip on the A2 and Peter (pictured) to be flung from the car

The jury was told when the initial call disconnected at 9.26pm, Jason had phoned Owen eight seconds later.

Unaware of events or how serious they were, Jason sent his mother Erica Maughan, a voice note saying he was not 'getting involved' and wanted 'out of the situation.'

However, he then spoke to his brother, Sonny, who had become aware of the collision.

'I didn't really take much notice of the clunking at the end of the call [with Owen] until I spoke to Sonny and I could hear him saying "They're dead".

'I got dressed as fast as I could, got in my car and made my way to the scene as fast as I could.

'When I got there the road was blocked - ambulance, police.

My car was quite far back. I had to leave it and run down.

'There was a lot of people there I didn't know - ambulance, police - and I saw Lovell lying between the hedge and the road.

'I couldn't approach him because the ambulance drivers wouldn't let me but he looked quite critical.'

Jason said that having learnt that Hayley and the children had gone to Darent Valley Hospital, he went back to his car and drove to join them.

Asked whether he spoke to his sister about what had happened or had any interaction with her, he told the jury: 'Not at all. Just going into the room to see my nephew.

'I was just in a state of shock and put my hands on my head.'

In cross-examination by Tyrone Smith KC, defending Owen, Jason revealed there had been an incident a few weeks earlier whereby Hayley Maughan had had a disagreement with Owen's sister, Nicole.

Peter Maughan, right, and his father Mr Mahon, left, were in the same vehicle when it crashed

The court heard although it is not disputed that Owen said he would ram the other Ford Ranger, Jason agreed he did not think he would do so.

'I wouldn't believe anyone if they said that to me,' he told the jury.

But he disagreed when the defence suggested that Owen Maughan had not remarked 'We don't give a f***.'

Jason told the court: 'He said "We're going to ram them.

We don't give a f***" and I said "Do whatever the f*** you want. F*** off".'

He was then asked by Mr Smith why he had never told the police of that particular remark until a month after the fatal crash, whether he could have misheard Owen telling him to 'F*** off', and whether he could be sure of what was said in that call.

Jason replied: 'Misremembered? No.

In a state of shock?

Possibly.

I am sure what I have said were the exact words.'

He then remarked during cross-examination by Charles Langley KC, defending Patrick: 'It wasn't the nicest phone call I have had in my life and a lot happened in those four weeks.

'We were still living in a lot of trauma.'

The court has heard that the two Ford Rangers came across each other on the A2 that night by chance, having both joined the M2 London-bound at Junction 3 at Blue Bell Hill just five minutes apart.

While Owen was the one at the wheel and responsible for the manner of driving, it is the Crown's case that he was being 'actively encouraged' by his father.

Witness Tim Lewis was carrying out voluntary work on land at the Pepperhill junction of the A2 when he briefly saw two vehicles side by side at the roundabout at the end of the exit slip road.

He told the jury he heard someone shout 'I'm going to sort you out' and about 15 seconds after they had driven off, the sound of a collision.

But Mr Lewis added he could not tell from which vehicle the threat had been made.

'Those words were said, that threat was said, and 15 seconds after that, there was a collision and that little boy died,' he said.

Having then heard a woman scream, Mr Lewis went up New Barn Road to assist and alert the emergency services.

Referring to Mr Mahon at the side of the road, he told the jury: 'It was very obvious to me he was in a very critical state.'

Meanwhile Owen and his father had left, driving through Longfield and on to Hextable where they abandoned their Ford Ranger.

En route, they had stopped for Patrick to get out and remove the front number plate.

When police found their vehicle two days later, a pushchair which had fallen from the back of Mr Mahon's truck was still wedged underneath the chassis.

Owen handed himself into police on June 2, while Patrick was arrested at an address in Maidenhead, Surrey, on June 3.

The pair, of Hill Rise, Darenth, each deny murder.

Owen Maughan has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Peter Maughan, and causing serious injury by dangerous driving and inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Mahon.

He denies causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent to Mr Mahon, as well as two offences of attempting to cause GBH with intent in respect of Annarica and Hayley Maughan.

As well as denying murder and manslaughter, Patrick Maughan has pleaded not guilty to causing Peter's death by dangerous driving and three offences in respect of Mr Mahon, namely causing GBH with intent, inflicting GBH and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He also denies two offences of causing GBH with intent in relation to Annarica and Hayley Maughan.

The trial continues.

References

^ ROBERT FOLKER, NEWS REPORTER (www.dailymail.co.uk)
^ Facebook (www.dailymail.co.uk)