A woman accused of murdering her partner after driving for nearly 200 metres with him on the bonnet of her car today (Wednesday) told a jury that she had not intended to harm him.
Alison Skingsly, giving evidence to the jury at Lincoln Crown Court, said she had earlier argued with Kevin Nix after he flirted with another woman while they were drinking at Ye Olde Bridge Inn at Crowland.
She said she walked off to another part of the pub but when Mr Nix came over to her she left and went into the beer garden.
“I just sat there to calm down. Not long after he came out and hit me on the left side of my head. It was hard enough to give me a headache and a throbbing pain.”
Skingsly said that moments later Mr Nix spoke to her. She told the jury: “He started shouting at me. He was asking me for the car keys. I said ‘No, you’re not having them because you’re drunk’. Then he said something like ‘You’re not having any more of my money.’
“I was very frightened. I thought he was going to come out and hit me again. I thought it was time to get up and get away from him.”
Skingsly said she then got into her car and planned to drive into Crowland where she intended to get someone to pick her up.
“I thought I was driving normal. I didn’t feel drunk. I didn’t even feel tipsy. If I had done I wouldn’t have got in the car.
“I just intended to get away because I was so scared.
“I don’t think he wanted me to drive away and leave him there. He climbed on the bonnet and then I started to drive towards the exit very slowly. He looked really angry. I just wanted to get away from him.
She said she drove slowly out of the pub car park and onto the road. After she drove over a bridge she said that Mr Nix shouted at her to stop.
Skingsly said the car had new brakes and she stopped sharply and Mr Nix fell off. The jury has heard that he suffered serious head injuries and died three days later after being air-lifted to a hospital in Coventry.
She was asked “Did you intend to cause any harm to Kevin?” and replied “No, No”.
Skingsly said that she had been hit previously by Mr Nix and on one occasion was taken to hospital after he struck her. “He’d have a drink and punch me,” she said.
The prosecution say that Mr Nix climbed on the bonnet to prevent Skingsly driving as she was over the limit. Following her arrest she failed a breath test with the reading at 64mgs of alcohol per 100 mls of breath compared to the legal limit of 35 mgs.
Alison Skingsly (43) of Thames Road, Spalding, denies the murder of Kevin Nix on 27 June 2018 and an alternative charge of manslaughter.
The trial continues.
