Kerry Fair: Woman Jailed For Killing Bike Thief In High-Speed Chase To "Teach Him A Lesson"
A mum-of-three has been jailed for 14 years after mowing down a man who had just stolen a motorcycle from her daughter's home in a hit-and-run road rage incident that left a father of seven dead.
30-year-old Thomas Maguire suffered fatal injuries when Kerry Fair, 39, knocked him off a motorbike in Kingstanding, Birmingham, in May last year.
Birmingham Crown Court was told how Fair was chasing Mr Maguire in her Ford Focus, reaching speeds of 86mph to "teach him a lesson" after she believed he had stolen a motorbike from her daughter's house.
Fair crashed into the Yamaha being ridden by Mr Maguire while travelling at 40mph along Kings Road. After the crash, Fair fled the scene on foot, leaving her car with the engine running.
Officers found Fair's wallet in the front of the abandoned vehicle and she was arrested shortly after the crash on May 18, 2022.
Mr Maguire, a dad-of-seven, was rushed to hospital where he spent three weeks in a critical condition before succumbing to his injuries on June 9.
The victim suffered multiple serious injuries, including a broken collarbone, hips, ribs, vertebrae, and pelvis, with severe damage to his kidneys, spleen, and liver.
Following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, Fair, of Kingstanding, was found guilty of manslaughter.
On Tuesday, she was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
The judge told Fair she had taken the "law into her own hands" and used the car "as a weapon".
The jury heard how before the fatal crash, Mr Maguire and two friends had arrived in a vehicle outside her eldest daughter's home in Hartley Road, Kingstanding.
Two men entered the back garden and stole the Yamaha motorcycle that belonged to Fair's daughter's boyfriend, while the third man kept watch outside.
Fair arrived at the house as the thieves were fleeing the scene - she did a U-turn and pursued the rider on the motorbike in her car.
The court heard how she hit speeds of between 76mph and 86mph - endangering the lives of other, uninvolved road users.
Fair told police she had collided with Mr Maguire "accidentally" and had attempted to stop before she hit him.
Detective Inspector Michelle Thurgood said: "At the speed she was travelling, at the very least she was reckless to the fact Thomas would be injured as a result of her actions that night.
"Had Fair applied emergency braking when she realised she was gaining rapidly on the motorbike, the collision could have been completely avoided, which inevitably could have prevented Thomas from being injured.
"Our thoughts remain with the family of Thomas and I hope today's verdict can bring them some closure."