Bus driver Daniel Press has been jailed for murdering footballer William Buckingham, who he mowed down after a pub fight in Ewell.

The jury of six men and six women at Kingston Crown Court took just hours to unanimously find the dad-of-two guilty.

Press was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 12 years.

Press admitted that 21-year-old William Buckingham’s death was his fault, but said he only meant to scare him by driving really close to the pavement.

Mr Buckingham, from Morden, was killed after being hit by Press’s car on the A24 London Road, less than an hour after a fight between both men at the Star Pub in Ewell, a jury at Kingston Crown Court heard.

Following the fight, Press, 24, from Ewell, picked up his children Joshua and Keira, aged three years old and nine months old, and drove away with his girlfriend Kerry Barnett towards her house in Carshalton.

As he drove through the A24, with their children in the back seat, he identified Mr Buckingham walking towards Cheam with a group of friends and swerved into the pavement to hit him, shortly after 1am.

Mr Buckingham landed about 10 metres from where he was hit.

One of his shoes landed on a property nearby.

The car then went back to the road and drove off, and it did not break at any time during the manoeuvre. After being hit Mr Buckingham was not responding to his friends, but was still breathing.

The paramedics took him to St George’s Hospital, where he died later in the day. A post mortem indicated severe head injuries as the cause of death.

On sentencing, Judge Nicholas Price told the defendant: “You deliberately ran your car into William Buckingham who was simply walking with his friends after leaving the pub.

“Whatever may have happened between you earlier outside the Star Pub cannot begin explain what you did.

“The consequence of your criminal act is that a young man who had everything to live for lost his life.”

Judge Price said he accepted that when Press hit Mr Buckingham he did not intend to kill, but to cause grievous bodily harm.

He also accepted that there was no premeditation and took into consideration the fact that Press was of previous good character.

Press’ sister Alyssa and his girlfriend, Barnett, pleaded guilty to the offence of perverting the course of justice after lying to police about his involvement in Mr Buckingham’s death.

They will be sentenced at a later date.

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