Cannabis addicted van driver jailed for killing “loving dad” in Skegness hit and run

A cannabis user who killed a “loving dad” when he repeatedly reversed into him in a stolen van was jailed for 14-and-a-half years.

James Britton, 37, died in hospital eight days after being run down by a Ford Transit van which was being driven by Jonathan Wilson.

Another man, Jamie Cram, 21, suffered a life threatening abdominal injury and other injuries after Wilson ran him down in the van before colliding with Mr Britton.

Both incidents occurred in Everingtons Lane, Skegness, on November 10, 2021.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Wilson had been abusing cannabis from the age of 14 and was suffering from psychotic delusions that he was being chased by people who wanted to kill him.

Wilson, of Woodthorpe Avenue, Boston, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at a hearing earlier this year.

He had been charged with murder but the Crown Prosecution Service accepted he was suffering a psychotic condition due to his substance misuse in the month leading up to the collisions.

Wilson also admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm to Mr Cram, and breaching a suspended sentence for three assaults on emergency workers committed on October 7, 2021.

James Britton, known as Jimmy, was tragically killed in the incident. | Photo: Facebook

Mr Britton, from Skegness, who was known as Jimmy, suffered multiple injuries and died in hospital on November 18 last year.

Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst told Wilson he had seen CCTV of of him driving the stolen van at Mr Cram shortly after 3.50pm on November 10, 2021.

“You were driving in excess of 40mph when you drove at Mr Cram,” Judge Hirst said.

Judge Hirst said Mr Britton was then among a group of concerned residents who had come to the scene because of Wilson’s behaviour that day.

“The van you were driving reversed into Mr Britton as he bent down to pick something up,” Judge Hirst added.

“About five times you edged forward before reversing into Mr Britton.”

The court heard Mr Britton managed to crawl to the verge but Wilson drove past shouting “That’s what you deserve now.”

Wilson was arrested after a 15 minute police pursuit.

Judge Hirst told Wilson while it was accepted he was suffering from a psychotic condition, it was caused by his long term abuse of cannabis.

“You chose since the age of 14 to consume cannabis on a regular basis.”

The judge added: “Cannabis induced psychosis is relatively common and has catastrophic consequences.”

Wilson was also made the subject of a restraining order which prevents any contact with Mr Cram.

The court heard Wilson was living with his mother in Boston and travelled to Skegness on November 9 to meet Mr Britton.

They had known each other since childhood and Wilson described Mr Britton as “someone who could help.”

Jonathan Wilson was jailed for 14-and-a-half years. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

CCTV from that night showed Wilson climbing out of the South View Leisure caravan site armed with a knife and smashing a car with a rock.

Katherine Goddard KC, prosecuting, said Wilson was again spotted the next day, raising serious concerns after various incidents in Everington Lane and South View Leisure caravan park in which he tried to steal a flask, armed himself with a pole and then stole the van.

“During the course of that day Mr Wilson used whatever he found and turned it into weapon,” Miss Goddard added.

“And that is what he did with that van.”

Miss Goddard read out a number of victim impact statements from Mr Britton’s family.

They described how Jimmy was at the centre of his family, with twin boys, and would do anything for anyone.

The statements told how Jimmy asked for his mother as he knew he was going to die, and described how the scene looked like a massacre.

Statements from Mr Britton’s twin sons, Jimmy and Harry, described him as the “perfect dad” and their childhood in Boston.

Harry revealed he still did not know why Jonathon Wilson had killed his father, a feeling shared by the rest of the family.

Wilson was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility after the prosecution accepted he was suffering from a psychotic illness at the time.

Nigel Edwards KC, mitigating, said: “Everything that is said about Jimmy Britton as a father, as a brother, is true.

“Mr Wilson would like to offer an explanation, but he can’t.

“From the age of 14 he consumed cannabis with his friends without any problem until that October going into November.

In Mr Wilson’s own words it felt his cannabis use had suddenly reached a point where “his head was going to explode,”

Mr Edwards said there was no intervention after his brief appearance at Magistrates Court in October.

“After he came out of Magistrates Court he carried on in the same way he always had.

“He can’t explain, other than the drugs, why it happened.

“The psychosis he was going through, people were going to hurt him.

“The person who was going to help him was Jimmy.”

Mr Edwards argued Wilson did not know what he was doing.

“It’s his own fault. He took the drugs.”

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