A TEENAGER has been jailed for 11 years to driving into a petrol station manager and carrying him for nearly half a mile in West Kingsdown.

Joshua Charnley, of no fixed address, was found guilty at Canterbury Crown Court of causing grievous bodily harm with intent on January 28 after previously pleading guilty making off from the petrol station without paying.

The 19-year-old dragged victim Lekshmanan Asokkumar from the Texaco service station in London Road on July 31 last year at speeds of over 30 miles an hour, calculated from CCTV footage. Charnley was today (January 31) sentenced to 11 years for causing grievous bodily harm with intent and to 12 months, to run concurrently, for making off from the petrol station without paying.

He was also disqualified from driving for 15 years.

Crown Advocate Martin Yale from CPS South East said: "This was a truly appalling case, with Mr Asokkumar left with severe head injuries, after he fell from the car.

"The petrol station attendant had been unable to see the car licence plate, which had been altered with black tape to disguise its identity, so Mr Asokkumar tried to stop Mr Charnley by standing in front of the car.

News Shopper: CCTV footage from Texaco shows the Mr Asokkumar being carried off on the bonnet.

"Mr Asokkumar bravely stood his ground in front of the car as Mr Charnley revved the engine and lurched forwards towards him. Instead of stopping, Mr Charnley drove at Mr Asokkumar, scooped him on to the bonnet and drove off along London Road, swerving the vehicle and punching Mr Asokkumar’s hand through the open driver’s door window, as Mr Asokkumar clung to the front of the car. Mr Asokkumar fell from the car, when Mr Charnley turned into a side road at speed."

He added: "None of us can imagine how terrifying that ordeal must have been for Mr Asokkumar, but the ordeal has continued for him and his family since that fateful day.

"He has been receiving treatment for the injuries he suffered, which are likely to be permanent and which significantly impact on his life and those of his family.

"I hope it comes as some comfort to them that Mr Charnley has now been sentenced, after being found guilty of intending to cause those injuries."