Car park killing: Witness describes moment John Avers was run over

Speaking at the ongoing trial at the Old Bailey, Austin Monera told jurors that he had been asleep in a bedroom overlooking the Iceland carpark in Whalebone Lane South on September 13 2020 - the day Mr Avers met his death.

Giving evidence from behind a screen, Mr Monera - whose Vauxhall Astra was parked in the car park - said he was woken up by the noises of "people shouting in a harsh tone and a car revving".

He said: "I could see a person standing near. I could see a car revving, and driving to go and hit the person that was standing there."

Bobby Ternent, 32, has admitted to driving the BMW X6 which ran over the 47-year-old.

It's claimed that his 59-year-old father Gary Ternent held Mr Avers on the ground in front of the car.

'Distressing' footage of the incident has been played to jurors during the course of the trial, which began on January 5.

Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones QC has argued that the younger Ternent is guilty of murder if he "deliberately ran over John Avers as he appears to admit he did".

Both men, of Movers Lane in Barking, have denied murder.

John Avers, 47, died in a car park in Whalebone Lane, Dagenham (Image: Met Police)

"I'd just woken up and it happened so quickly. It was traumatising," said Mr Monera.

Mr Emlyn Jones QC asked Mr Monera: "What did the car do after it had hit the person?"

He replied: "It reversed back again at fast speed to hit him again. The person was lying down."

As the BMW X6 reversed it reportedly crashed into Mr Austin's own car.

Mr Monera explained that he was "trying to figure out what to do next", and initially called his mother - who told him to phone 999, which he did a minute later.

He saw the car speed out of the car park, and looked on as emergency services arrived.

A statement read out to the court from another neighbour, Croix Malanga, described hearing a male voice shout, 'Help me. Help me", as he was watching TV in his bedroom which backs onto the car park.

He also phoned his mum whose car was parked in the car park to warn her "there were cars hitting other cars" there.

Another neighbour, David Saddiq, described in a statement how he heard someone shout out as if they were "in pain".

"I saw a car drive at speed and do a very big and fast u-turn," he wrote.

"I was worried he was going to hit someone or something.

"I heard three bump sounds. I thought these sounds were the sound of a car driving over speed bumps."

Mr Saddiq added that he "only realised" the next day that someone had been killed in the car park.

During the course of the proceedings it has been claimed that the fatal incident happened as a result of a row over £40,000 reportedly tied to drugs.

Lesley Avers - who separated from the 47-year-old six months before he died - gave testimony which revealed the last contact she had with her estranged husband.

After years of success, the decline of Mr Avers' sash window company saw him run into "money trouble", prompting marital problems which saw the couple separate in March 2020.

They then sold their house in Grosvenor Gardens, Upminster - described as Mrs Avers' "dream home".

After this came a period where the pair were barely in contact.

However, she told jurors that Mr Avers texted her on September 12 - the day before he was killed - to say: "I'll get your house back."

The trial has been adjourned until Wednesday.