Father ran over two 15-year-old boys with his car for bullying his son

Kevin Connolly, 41, ran over two 15-year-old boys who were ‘bullying his son’ before repeatedly driving over one of the boy’s legs.

The father-of-three claims he did so because they were bullying his son.

This happened after Connolly’s porch window was smashed by one of their group and they fled the scene.

After the group vandalised the family home that night, Connolly’s son chased after them and Connolly got into his car to look for him and the enraged Connolly hunted the pair down.

First-time offender Connolly initially faced a double attempted murder charge against the boys.

However, the Crown today accepted guilty pleas to assaulting the boys to the danger of their lives during the incident on September 12, 2021, Daily confirms.

The court heard the boys were with others in the Brucehill area outside Connolly’s home in Dumbarton at around 8.30pm.

Prosecutor Leanne McQuillan said: ‘One of the group – not one of the victims – threw a large stone at Connolly’s front door causing the porch window beside it to break.’

The youths fled the scene while Connolly got behind the wheel of his car. One of the boys entered a nearby car and was tailed by Connolly, DailyMail reports.

The boy got out of the car as it approached a park. Miss McQuillan said: ‘As he made his way to the entrance [of the park], Connolly’s vehicle mounted the pavement and struck the boy from behind causing him to fall to the ground.’

The other boy then helped the victim to his feet and carried him into the park.

The prosecutor added: ‘Connolly drove his vehicle on to the footpath in the park and then on to the grass where the boys were.

‘He drove at speed towards the other boy and struck him to the right leg causing him to fall to the ground. He then drove over both of the other boy’s legs.

‘Both boys were taken to hospital while Connolly fled to his sister’s house in a ‘terrified’ state.

Police noted that Connolly’s car had signs of damage to it. Connolly notified police of his whereabouts and reported vandalisms to his property and car. He was arrested two days later.

One of the boys was treated for fractures to his foot with metal plates inserted and skin taken from his thigh.

Miss McQuillan added: ‘There will be permanent scarring to the foot and the thigh as a result of the surgical procedure.

‘He was not able to bear weight on his foot for six weeks and will have permanently reduced mobility.’

The other boy escaped with minor injuries and was discharged after observation.

Sean Templeton, defending, told the court: ‘The middle son was subject to a campaign by youths who took to bullying and intimidating him.

‘This escalated where the intimidation moved from himself to his home. The child ran out the house and pursued the youths.’

Mr Templeton added that Connolly initially went to look for his son, who he thought would be seriously assaulted by the youths.

He added: ‘He did not see his son and came across the boys – he was in a panic as he thought his son was going to be set about and that’s the reason the actions were inflicted the way did.’

The trial continues next month at the High Court in Edinburgh.