
Charles Wooden (pictured), 59, of Sandhurst, Kent, was convicted of tried homicide at Maidstone Crown Courtroom on Thursday after claiming he had no recollection of attempting to kill Thomas Robinson, 71, on March 2 final yr
A turf farmer who claimed to haven’t any reminiscence of intentionally operating over his aged neighbour as a part of a long-standing feud has been discovered responsible of tried homicide.
Charles Wooden, 59, of Sandhurst, Kent, was convicted at Maidstone Crown Courtroom on Thursday after claiming he had no recollection of attempting to kill Thomas Robinson, 71, on March 2 final yr.
Wooden, whose shoppers included 10 Downing Avenue and the unique Wentworth Golf Course in Surrey, was remanded in custody after a jury took simply 4 hours to return a responsible verdict. He will likely be sentenced on December 13.
At trial, Wooden accepted that he was on the wheel of his VW Transporter van when it struck retired bricklayer Mr Robinson from behind as he walked to village retailers in Sandhurst, at about 1.20pm.
Nevertheless Wooden – now a professional sports activities therapeutic massage therapist – instructed the courtroom on Monday that he couldn’t keep in mind any of the alleged homicide bid or his arrest and police interview, including: ‘It is actually annoying as a result of I’ve fairly a superb reminiscence however I am unable to keep in mind any of that.’
Wooden’s property, an industrial barn present process a renovation, was accessed from a highway operating beside Mr Robinson’s residence which, the courtroom beforehand heard, was ‘the supply of the issue’ between the 2 males, with the previous accusing the latter of littering the pathway with garbage.
Between 2013 and late 2016, they each made accusations of assault and property harm in opposition to each other however no expenses have been ever introduced.
Then, on March 2 2020, Wooden intentionally ploughed into Mr Robinson at an estimated pace of between 15 and 20mph, after absolutely mounting the pavement.
One witness instructed of how they noticed the driving force seem to ‘line up’ Mr Robinson as their goal.
Mr Robinson was despatched flying into the air and suffered a mind haemorrhage, spinal and rib fractures, a collapsed lung and a bruised aorta.
He was in hospital for nearly 4 months, with a number of weeks spent recovering on the Stoke Mandeville Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre.
Wooden drove off from the scene, solely to double again previous it earlier than returning to his residence.

Witnesses instructed the courtroom how they noticed Wooden (pictured) ‘line up’ his van to focus on Mr Robinson shortly earlier than the incident
Police later discovered the van parked outdoors his barn with a big dent to the bonnet and a smashed windscreen however he was not arrested till the next day.
Wooden additionally denied expenses of inflicting grievous bodily hurt with intent and inflicting severe harm by harmful driving.
The 2 males have been described as being ‘engaged in one thing of a feud’ over an entry highway resulting in Wooden’s barn and farmland, and operating alongside the Robinson household residence.
A collection of allegations and counter allegations have been made to police over a three-year interval, with the final recorded incident in November 2016.
The courtroom heard these included accusations of assault and prison harm, and though none resulted in any expenses Mr Robinson was formally cautioned in February 2014.
However giving proof on Monday, Wooden stated regardless of having no recollection of the day he’s alleged to have mown down his neighbour, he had no cause to wish to damage him and by no means supposed to kill anybody.
He instructed the jury: ‘Mainly, I had as little as doable to do with any of the Robinsons.
‘I would just open and shut the gate and went about my very own enterprise. There was all the time lots to do.
‘I want him no ill-health and would not do this. It is upsetting I am accused of wounding somebody. I normally exit of my method to assist individuals.
‘I am upset he has sustained these accidents from my driving.’
He additionally instructed the courtroom he couldn’t keep in mind his arrest or being in police custody and interviewed, including: ‘It is actually annoying as a result of I’ve fairly a superb reminiscence however I am unable to keep in mind any of that.’

Mr Robinson, 71, was struck from behind on Rye Highway (pictured), Sandhurst, in March final yr
Throughout cross-examination, Wooden stated the day of the collision was the primary time he had misplaced his reminiscence whereas driving.
Requested by the prosecutor what his final reminiscence was earlier than his van hit Mr Robinson, Wooden replied: ‘It is all a bit obscure. I wasn’t very properly within the final three to 4 weeks previous.
‘The entire interval could be very obscure….I battle to recollect something.’
Wooden maintained he had no recollection of the collision itself and denied being in a dispute together with his neighbour.
‘I really feel very sorry however I presume it is an accident,’ he instructed the jury.
He added that he wouldn’t have intentionally run down Mr Robinson as a result of he wouldn’t wish to jeopardise his life-style, particularly his ardour for travelling.
‘I’ve no recollection however I’d by no means do this as a result of it could cease me from travelling, which I’d by no means jeopardise,’ Wooden instructed the courtroom.
‘I’m now 59 years outdated, comfy with cash. Why would I jeopardise every thing I’ve acquired to run somebody down?
‘It is in opposition to my nature. I consider it was an accident.’
On the morning of the homicide bid, Wooden had visited a cranial osteopath in Battle, East Sussex, earlier than purchasing in close by St Leonards.
A lot of his actions have been captured on CCTV, together with his return to his residence in his broken van following the hit-and-run.
He’s then seen unloading his groceries and earlier than being taken to hospital by a good friend – the place he was proven in a wheelchair and was stated to be confused and complaining of head and neck ache.

Wooden, whose shoppers included 10 Downing Avenue, royal parks and the unique Wentworth Golf Course, was remanded in custody after a jury took simply 4 hours to return a responsible verdict. He will likely be sentenced on December 13 (Pictured: Maidstone Crown Courtroom)
Nevertheless, no accidents have been recorded and he was discharged after exams and a CT scan confirmed nothing untoward.
However Wooden instructed the jury he couldn’t keep in mind something of that day.
‘For all intents and functions, I look regular on the movies however I’ve no recollection,’ he added.
Wooden additionally needed to be taken to hospital after his arrest, complaining of head, neck and throat ache.
He instructed workers of his A&E go to yesterday however couldn’t recall why, and it was recorded that he gave the impression to be affected by amnesia.
Nevertheless, medical exams proved ‘unremarkable’ and he was discharged again into police custody, the courtroom heard.
Wooden, who has no earlier convictions, instructed the jury he grew up on a dairy farm earlier than learning agriculture on the Shuttleworth Faculty in Bedfordshire after which agronomy – the science and know-how of plant manufacturing for agricultural use – within the US.
Additionally a eager rugby participant, he’s stated to have competed at ‘excessive stage’ each in America and Australia, whereas his farming profession took him throughout the States and into Canada, earlier than finally returning to the UK in 1989, establishing his turf farm enterprise.
4 years later, he bought Hernden Marsh Farm in Sandhurst for the aim of turf manufacturing, the land having been uncultivated for about 100 years and used for fattening cattle. His shoppers have included royal parks and Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium’s ‘removeable’ pitch.
Wooden instructed the courtroom it was ‘fully naked land’ relationship again to Saxon-Roman occasions with solely river entry till he remodeled the lane operating adjoining to the Robinson property which had grow to be an overgrown, debris-littered mud observe.
It was in Could 2013 that the Robinsons first complained to police that Wooden had broken their property.
‘They stated there had been a long-standing dispute over utilization of the land. Nevertheless, the matter was investigated and no motion was taken,’ stated prosecutor Paul Valder.
‘In September 2013 Wooden and Mr Robinson made counter allegations in opposition to one another of assault however when police attended they discovered no proof of an assault and neither occasion needed any motion taken.’
Mr Valder stated Mr Robinson acquired a proper warning in February 2014 after Wooden reported he had broken his postbox and thrown garbage and paint at his gateway.
Hassle between the pair continued with additional allegations of assault being made in April 2016 however once more no additional motion was taken by police.
There was one other accusation by the Robinsons that Wooden had broken their property in August that yr, with the ultimate recorded criticism of alleged harm attributable to Wooden made three months later.
In January 2019, Wooden fell as much as 17ft from a ladder and onto his head, struggling a small haemorrhage and spending 4 days in hospital.
His medical information confirmed he nonetheless had ongoing complications, lethargy, poor focus and neck ache six months later, and in August that yr was recognized as ‘an excellent case of someone who has post-concussion headache’, the courtroom heard.
The prosecution argued that by utilizing his van as ‘a deadly weapon’ to knock down Mr Robinson after which pace away, Wooden should have supposed to kill.
However when requested by his barrister Mark Dacey if that had ever been his intention, or to trigger actually severe hurt, Wooden replied: ‘No, it isn’t in my nature to try this.’