A woman who took a disabled man’s mobility scooter and left him abandoned in the street in sub-zero temperatures has been jailed.
Kimberley Ann Hawkins, 41, had previously admitted the manslaughter of 63-year-old Neil Shadwick on 22 January last year (2023).
He was left for three hours in the cold and was suffering from severe hypothermia by the time he was discovered at around 5.45am. He died in hospital later that day from pneumonia.
Hawkins was jailed at Gloucester Crown Court today, Thursday 29 August, for six years for the offence.
The court heard how in the early hours of the morning Hawkins had been to Mr Shadwick’s home and they left together on his mobility scooter.
Mr Shadwick had limited mobility due to living with severe Parkinson’s, and relied on his mobility scooter to get around.
At around 2.30am they travelled to two different cashpoints, and the court heard how Hawkins was “frustrated” when Mr Shadwick was unable to withdraw any cash.
While he was trying to withdraw cash and using his mobility scooter to prop himself up, Hawkins got onto the scooter and rode away. Mr Shadwick held on and she dragged him along the road for 57 seconds. When he let go, she continued to ride away without looking back.
The court was told how Mr Shadwick had no phone and would not have had the ability to seek shelter.
The incident happened near to Tesco on Stratford Road in Stroud and he was discovered by staff who had arrived for work at around 5.45am.
Emergency services attended the scene and he was deeply unconscious due to hypothermia. After receiving treatment he was able to say the words “robbed” and “Kim” to police.
Hawkins was identified by local police officers who had watched CCTV footage showing what happened, and she was arrested.
Body-worn video footage released by police shows the moment Hawkins realised her actions had resulted in Mr Shadwick’s death.
Following an investigation by Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Major Crime Investigation Team, Hawkins was charged and remanded in custody.
She pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and manslaughter.
One of Mr Shadwick’s two daughters read a statement to the court via video link. She said: “He must have been terrified realising that he’d been abandoned and not knowing when or if help would arrive.”
She added how Hawkins “did not even look back” after riding away on the mobility scooter.
Mr Shadwick’s sister said in a statement read to court that her brother died while she was on the phone to the hospital, and that no-one had the chance to say goodbye.
She said: “She (Hawkins) rode off without a second thought. She could have come back to see if he was ok or get him help, but she didn’t… Neil didn’t deserve to be treated and abandoned in this way, nobody does… I believe that the world is full of many good people, on 22 January 2023, Kimberley Hawkins was not one of those.”
Detective Inspector Adam Stacey, from Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “Hawkins’ actions were callous, and they had fatal consequences for a man whom she knew was extremely vulnerable.
“The footage from the early hours of that morning is heart breaking to watch, as Neil was abandoned in sub-zero temperatures in the street without his mobility scooter and therefore unable to seek shelter or help.
“The family feel robbed that they didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to Neil, as he was cruelly taken away from them. They are still coming to terms with what happened and they would like to continue to grieve in private.
“Our thoughts remain with them at this very difficult time.”
The court was told that at the time of the offences Hawkins lived in a tent in a church yard and she relied on cash to fund her drug addiction.
She had been to Mr Shadwick’s home on several occasions in the months leading up to his death. Agencies deemed him as being at risk of exploitation, and he lived in supported accommodation and required carers who visited his home four times a day.
It was heard how Hawkins would have known how frail and vulnerable Mr Shadwick was, and although her actions which resulted in his death were reckless, they were not premeditated or with intent.
In mitigation the court was told that Hawkins regrets her actions, that she accepts her actions resulted in Mr Shadwick’s death, and that she is sorry for this. It was heard that she used drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism to block out previous trauma.
Judge Peter Blair KC jailed Hawkins for six years for manslaughter, and six months to run consecutively for other offences.
He said when Hawkins drove off, she dragged Mr Shadwick for a considerable distance.
He said: “It must have been totally obvious to you that he was there and you turned a blind eye to him. Ultimately he fell off or became dislodged and you carried on driving on without a thought for him or turning to see how he was. You knew he was a vulnerable man.”
