William Connors has been jailed for murdering for his father-in-law Thomas Connors

A banned driver who fled to Coventry after mowing down his father-in-law in front of horrified relatives has been jailed. ‘Angry’ William Connors ‘deliberately’ mounted the kerb and ploughed his Mercedes into Thomas Connors.

Connors had gone out hunting for his estranged wife even though police had banned him from contacting her, the court heard. He pulled up at her parents’ home, with his victim – who was also his uncle – arming himself with an axe for protection as he met his killer outside, reports BirminghamLive.

But William ‘lost his temper’ and ran him over in front of other family members before fleeing to his family home in Coventry, the court heard. Thomas tried to ‘defend’ himself by using the axe against the windscreen as he was ‘propelled’ onto the bonnet of the Mercedes.

But the 62-year-old man toppled off the bonnet and landed on the ground. William left his relative for dead on the floor before rushing away from the scene and dumping his car on another street, reports BirminghamLive

Thomas suffered a fractured skull and spine and died from his fatal wounds the day after he was mowed down by his son-in-law William. Jurors heard how Thomas had been previously diagnosed with cancer but was in recovery so his family had been making plans for what was described as his ‘new lease of life.’

William denied murder, claiming he feared Thomas was about to kill him with the axe, a court heard. Jurors convicted him of the single charge following a trial in March.

He was today (Friday, April 19) jailed for life, with a minimum term of 20 years. Sentencing, Judge Michael Chambers KC said William ‘used the car as a weapon’ during the murder, which he described as ‘appalling and horrific.’

He said: “You drove away from a confrontation with him. You, after a short distance, decided to return and deliberately drive the Mercedes car onto the pavement and directly at Thomas, causing him fatal injuries.

“What occurred was caught on CCTV. It is truly shocking.” Judge Chambers added: “His wife has spoken of how they spent their adult life together and thought they would grow old together.”

Jurors heard how there had been a ‘difficult background’ between William and his wife, who was the daughter of Thomas. Both had been living separately at the time, with William turning up at her new home on September 11, 2023.

William ‘behaved in a threatening manner’ towards the woman before damaging her mobile phone, reports BirminghamLive. She called 999 and he was later arrested at his flat in Wolverhampton.

Police released him on bail just before 7.40pm that same day with conditions not to contact the woman but he flouted the terms of his bail and immediately started looking for her, ending up at her parents’ home on Compton Road. He was ‘angry’ over his arrest and wanted to ‘confront’ his wife, the court heard.

William turned the Mercedes around before sounding the horn ‘repeatedly’. Thomas walked down his driveway while grasping a large axe ‘clearly fearful’ over what his son-in-law might do, the court heard.

A heated exchange took place before William moved away, driving a short distance down Compton Road. He then turned around, ‘clearly intent on running Thomas down.’

William mounted the pavement between a tree and a wall before driving at his father-in-law just before 8.10pm. Thomas did not regain consciousness after falling to the ground and died from his injuries the next day, leaving his loved ones ‘devastated.’

William fled the scene, abandoning the car nearby and getting on a train to his family home in Coventry. He handed himself in at Coventry Police Station on September 12, 2023. William had no previous convictions for violence and was said to be ‘very upset’ during his police interview, the court heard.