Barnsley dad who killed handiman over offer to mow mum's lawn faces prison today
A judge promised: “The sentence will be one of immediate imprisonment”
A Barnsley father who ran over and killed a handyman who called at his mum’s home asking for work faces prison today.
Mark Wigley, of Royston Road, Cudworth, is due at Sheffield Crown Court this afternoon (October 29) for fatally injuring 45-year-old Liam Green with his car in an incident on April 3 this year.
The 60-year-old was charged with murder after he and two other members of his family set out to “teach Liam a lesson” for asking their elderly mother, Louise Jean Wigley, if he could cut her grass for £7.50.
This upset the Wigleys, who labelled Liam’s bid to make a bit of cash from handiwork as “badgering old ladies for money”.
In a violent incident on Rose Tree Avenue, Cudworth, Mark Wigley confronted Liam, culminated in him hitting the 60-year-old with his white Volkswagen Touareg. Liam died at the scene.
At Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday, October 27, a jury found Mark Wigley not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
His two family members - daughter Sarah Wigley, 39, and brother-in-law Neil Shaw, 54 - were found not guilty on all charges.
His Honour Judge Graham Reeds KC told Wigley on Tuesday: “You have been convicted of manslaughter, on what I consider to be abundant and clear evidence.
“I will pass sentence upon you on Thursday. The sentence will be one of immediate imprisonment.”
During the trial, the court heard from Liam’s mother, Lori Hilton, who was confronted by all three defendants asking where her son was.
This included Mark Wigley, who pulled up alongside Lori on the street and said: “I’m going to f***ing kill your son for what he’s done.”
“He was only going around asking if he could cut grass,” wept Ms Hilton in a taped interview with the police played to the court.
Mark Wigley will be sentenced in a hearing at 2pm today.