Overview
- Stephen Bates was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court of murdering Martin O'Donovan by driving into him outside a family home in Woolton.
- The collision followed a 70th birthday gathering on April 18 where witnesses said Bates became heavily intoxicated and traded punches with O'Donovan.
- Prosecutors said Bates took back his car and returned to Stonyhurst Road before deliberately driving straight at O'Donovan, who died in hospital the next morning.
- Evidence included a 999 call in which Bates said he had run someone over and police observations that he was extremely intoxicated, alongside medical findings of catastrophic injuries.
- Bates was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on November 28.