07/01/2004

Police question 19-year-old over Liverpool car theft death

Merseyside Police are questioning a 19-year-old following the death of a man who tried to prevent his car being stolen outside Liverpool airport yesterday.

Detectives have confirmed that a teenager was arrested in the Woolton area of Liverpool at around 9pm last night.

Michael Howard, a 57-year-old father of three, from Preston in Lancashire, died after being trapped under the wheels of his Volvo car at the departures terminal of John Lennon Airport. Mr Howard and his wife had been due to go on holiday to Malaga.

He was unloading luggage from the rear of the car, and his wife gone to get a baggage trolley, when a thief jumped into the driver's seat. Mr Howard ran to the front of the vehicle to stop it being driven away, but the thief ran him down.

The thief then abandoned the Volvo and escaped in a maroon coloured car driven by an accomplice.

Police were called at 5.35am following reports of a man being run down by a car. Emergency vehicles attended at short time later but Mr Howard died at the scene.

In a statement, Mr Howard's wife said: "This was a happy time, and we were going on a holiday that we were really looking forward to. The people who've done this had no regard for Michael's safety, or for anyone else.

"Michael was a much-loved husband and father and we are completely devastated by what's happened. We would like to be left to grieve in peace, and to try to come to terms with Michael's death, but want people to help the police. Someone must know who has done this and we would ask that they please come forward and speak to the police."

Officers later recovered a maroon Rover 216 from Greyhound Farm Road, Speke, shortly afterwards. The vehicle is being examined by specially-trained crime scene investigators from Merseyside Police, in a bid to gather forensic evidence.

House-to-house inquiries have been carried out near to where the car was recovered and officers have also urged anyone who saw someone acting suspiciously in a maroon coloured car in the Speke area, to contact them.

Detectives have also seized airport CCTV of the incident, which has been sent to be enhanced.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

(gmcg)

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