Man Killed by Own Car During Dramatic Burglary Confrontation in Erith
Fatal Crash After Fight Over Stolen Mercedes
A pensioner with a prosthetic leg was tragically run over by his own car while trying to stop a thief stealing it outside his Erith home. Marc Allen, 50, suffered fatal head injuries when the Mercedes GLA struck him just after midnight on December 29, 2019.
Jurors at the Old Bailey heard how Allen confronted the burglar, refusing to hand over his vehicle. Prosecutor Anthony Orchard KC described the car being used as a “weapon” to knock Allen unconscious. He later died in hospital without regaining consciousness.
Man on Trial Denies Murder and Robbery
Errol Woodger, 38, from Belvedere, faces murder and robbery charges but denies both. CCTV footage showed a man hopping over a low wall and sneaking into a nearby empty property minutes before the Mercedes was stolen.
Allen lived alone in a ground-floor flat on Peareswood Road, relying on the Motability Scheme car. Neighbour Linda Rumsey told police she heard Allen shouting, “That’s my car. You aren’t taking my car,” while the vehicle revved and reversed, possibly grazing him.
Shocking Witness Account of Tragic Impact
Rumsey described the Mercedes then lunging forward “at speed,” hitting Allen so violently he was thrown onto the bonnet, over the roof, and slammed onto the road. She said, “His head went bang when it hit the floor. I heard his head crack – it sent a shiver through me.”
Allen’s injuries were catastrophic. Rushed to King’s College Hospital, he was placed on life support but died a month later on January 29, 2020.
Key Evidence Links Suspect to Crime
- Allen’s prosthetic leg still had a trainer on, but his other foot was bare, suggesting he rushed out in panic.
- The stolen Mercedes was found abandoned two days later on a driveway in the Isle of Dogs, East London.
- Woodger was arrested five months after the incident. He initially claimed he was attacked hours after Allen’s death—a timeline police disproved.
- Forensic evidence tied Woodger to the stolen car, including his fingerprints on items inside and DNA on a cigarette.
The trial continues at the Old Bailey as jurors weigh the evidence in this shocking case of burglary gone deadly.
