Father and son jailed for murder after family friend driven over in Iceland car park four times

Both Bobby Ternent and his father Gary Ternent, have been given life sentences

Murderers: Bobby, left, and Gary Ternent (Metropolitan Police)

A father and son have been jailed for life after they murdered a family friend by holding him down and repeatedly driving over him in a supermarket car park.

Bobby Ternent and his father Gary Ternent, from Barking in East London, were sentenced at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, 19 April for the murder of John Avers.

They were each jailed for life, with Bobby to serve a minimum of 25 years and Gary to serve a minimum of 23 years. They were both found guilty of murder following an earlier trial at the same court.

Mr Avers was 47 when he died (Metropolitan Police)

The incident took place in an Iceland car park in Dagenham, Essex on 13 September 2020, with the pair repeatedly driving over Mr Avers in their BMW X6 model.

Police and medics found Mr Avers lying in a large pool of blood and he was later pronounced dead at 12:22am on 14 September 2020.

Having fled the scene, Bobby Ternent changed his clothes at home and burnt the BMW X6, which was using false plates, jurors heard.

The father and son were later captured on CCTV talking about what had happened, with Bobby saying “he might be crippled.”

The burnt out BMW which was used by father and son to murder John Avers, 47 (PA)

His father replied: “Right, we gone over him three times.”

Jurors were visibly shocked as they saw the CCTV footage of the incident and heard the screams of the dying man.

Judge Anne Molyneux described Mr Avers, who was 47 when he was killed, as “a much loved father of two daughters.”

She added: “He was the main part of their lives. Their pain and that of their mother is lasting... He will not be forgotten.’

Ms Molyneux went on to highlight the “unimaginable terror” that Mr Avers underwent.

“This was a ruthless execution without mercy of a helpless man.” she said.

“His pain and anguish are immeasurable,” she added.

Bobby, 32, was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 25 years.

Meanwhile, Gary, 59, is to serve a life term and at least 23 years before he can be considered for parole.

Bobby made claims that Mr Avers was a “big time villain” who had threatened their family in a row over £40,000 and said that they were so terrified of him that they had been forced to act in self defence.

However, both were unanimously convicted of murder, with their story dismissed as a “preposterous fairy tale.”

The jury also heard that Mr Avers was not a “big time villain,” but that he had in fact been a successful businessman, owning a company that specialised in sash windows.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers said that he was “pleased” with the outcome of the trial.

“This was nothing short of a cold and calculated execution,” he said.

“What Bobby and Gary did to their supposed good friend was absolutely shocking and was extremely distressing for those who witnessed it and those who have had to watch the graphic CCTV.”

“I am pleased that the jury agreed with the overwhelming evidence we collected against Bobby and Gary and found them both guilty of murder,” he went on.

“It has been a very difficult time for John’s family and friends but I hope the fact that the Ternents now face a lengthy stint behind bars helps give them a small measure of comfort and closure.”