Body-building footballer, 35, who mowed down 11 teenage rival fans in his BMW for taunting him as ‘FATTY’ during local derby is jailed for 10 years

• Lee Taylor, 36, drove his BMW in to a group of 14 to 19-year-old football fans
• His team, Margam FC, lost 5-0 against Cornelly United in Bridgend, South Wales
• He had been called ‘fatty’ by the group before he rammed his car in to them 
• Taylor was sentenced to ten years in jail and is expected to serve at least seven

Lee Taylor, 36, drove his BMW in to the group of 14 to 19-year-old boys after his team, Margam FC, lost 5-0 against Cornelly United in Bridgend, South Wales

A body-builder who used his car to knock a group of 11 young football supports down ‘like skittles in a bowling alley’ after they called him ‘fatty’ was handed a 10-year prison sentence today.

Lee Taylor, 36, drove his BMW in to the group of 14 to 19-year-old boys after his team, Margam FC, lost 5-0 against Cornelly United in Bridgend, South Wales.

After the game Taylor involved himself in a scuffle between a young boy from each side.

Judge Daniel Williams said Taylor’s attempts to set ground rules for the fight ‘between two children’ had resulted in ‘incredulity and derision’ from the boys, who began insulting him and calling him ‘fatty’. 

Newport Crown Court heard that Taylor said ‘You don’t want to mess with me’ before getting into his grey BMW, revving the engine, and then accelerating into the group of boys.

He injured 11 before attempting to chase another two boys on to the football pitch. 

Judge Williams said: ‘The spat between two boys could have been defused by any adult with an ounce of common sense. But you don’t have that.

Newport Crown Court heard that Taylor said ‘You don’t want to mess with me’ before getting into his grey BMW, revving the engine, and then accelerating into the group of boys

‘Your fragile pride could not take the insults. You were angry and decided to exact revenge on those who dared to dent your fragile ego.

‘You made threats of violence and then used your car as a weapon to inflict violence on the boys because a few of them had disrespected you.’

The father-of-one told Newport Crown Court he could not hear the teenagers’ screams because his stereo volume was too loud.

He injured 11 before attempting to chase another two boys on to the football pitch. Judge Daniel Williams said: ‘The spat between two boys could have been defused by any adult with an ounce of common sense. But you don’t have that.’ Pictured, tyre tracks over the pitch

One 17-year-old boy jumped on top of the car and punched Taylor’s windscreen in an attempt to get him to stop, which led to Taylor jumping out of his vehicle and attacking more of the group before driving off

Prosecutor Christopher Rees said the supporters from the home side of Cornelly were shouting out at players of Taylor’s team before he stormed out to drive his car at them.

Mr Rees said: ‘There were around 30 to 40 spectators at the game, most of them young persons.’

Newport Crown Court heard one spectator was ‘giving out playground banter’ to the Margam players and a group of young people crowded around the changing room.

Prosecutor Christopher Rees said the supporters from the home side of Cornelly were shouting out at players of Taylor’s team before he stormed out to drive his car at them

Taylor had denied deliberately trying to injure the teenagers, claiming he was trying to escape an attack by the group, and was unaware of the collisions

Mr Rees said: ‘Taylor pointed the nose of the vehicle at the group of young persons, revved and raced his engine, his wheels spun and drove at speed.

‘He was knocking them down like skittles in a bowling alley – using his vehicle as a one tonne weapon.

‘It was an attack which was out of all proportion with the playground banter which had preceded it.’

One 17-year-old boy jumped on top of the car and punched Taylor’s windscreen in an attempt to get him to stop, which led to Taylor jumping out of his vehicle and attacking more of the group before driving off.

The court heard some of the injured fans were thrown up on to the bonnet of the car as it careered through them – and some filmed it on their mobile phones.

The youngest injured fan was 14 – and later told police he was ‘frozen in fear’ and ‘thought he was going to die’.

The court heard some of the injured fans were thrown up on to the bonnet of the car as it careered through them – and some filmed it on their mobile phones

The youngest injured fan was 14 – and later told police he was ‘frozen in fear’ and ‘thought he was going to die’

Judge Williams said it was ‘just good fortune’ that none of the victims were seriously injured or killed.

Taylor had denied deliberately trying to injure the teenagers, claiming he was trying to escape an attack by the group, and was unaware of the collisions.

Judge Williams said Taylor posed a ‘high risk of harm to others’, resulting in him being given an extended 10-year custodial sentence. He will serve at least seven years in prison before a parole board will decide whether he should be released

But the jury members took five hours and 40 minutes to unanimously find Taylor guilty of dangerous driving, and of 11 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent by a majority verdict.

Judge Williams said Taylor posed a ‘high risk of harm to others’, resulting in him being given an extended 10-year custodial sentence.

He will serve at least seven years in prison before a parole board will decide whether he should be released.

Taylor, from the Sandfields area of Port Talbot, was also disqualified from driving for 10 years.

Cornelly United play in the South Wales Alliance League 1st division – the sixth tier of Welsh football.

An order was made for Taylor’s BMW to be confiscated.

After the case, Janine Davies of the CPS said ‘Lee Taylor used his car as a weapon, deliberately driving at the group.

‘When cars are used as weapons the consequences can be devastating. We wish all those injured in this incident a speedy recovery.’

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