Motorist ran over his wife in Eastbourne car park (From The Argus)

Motorist ran over his wife in Eastbourne car park

12:00pm Thursday 19th November 2009

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Shoppers watched in horror as a motorist ran over his screaming wife and dragged her 20ft along a car park in a freak accident, an inquest was told.

Retired shopkeeper Thomas McCaughey, 88, was parking his Nissan Micra in a disabled bay when wife Evelyn got out to move a trolley blocking their space.

Mr McCaughey lent across the front passenger seat to get the couple's blue badge sticker to put in the windscreen when the car slipped into reverse.

He then desperately tried tried to slam on the brakes but hit the accelerator, pulling his wife under the wheels as she screamed at him to stop.

Mrs McCaughey, also a retired shopkeeper, was taken to hospital with a fractured hip and gashed leg.

She died a week later - just 10 days before her 83rd birthday.

Shopper Addison Baigent, who dialled 999, said: "The driver seemed away with it as if he didn't know what was going on. He appeared very vacant but looking back I guess this was shock.

"The lady was conscious throughout the incident and made the comment, 'It's my fault, I was trying to get out of the car'."

Devastated Mr McCaughey, of Lindfield Road, Eastbourne, was described as very frail and too upset to attend the inquest at the town's magistrates court.

In a police interview he told officers he and his wife, married for 40 years, were shopping at Tesco when the tragedy happened in March.

The inquest was told that Mrs McCaughey died from fluid on the lungs and also had a severe undiagnosed heart condition.

Verdict: accident.

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