Anger as brothers who ran over farmer jailed

THE family of a British farmer who was killed by a car thief said last night that the killer’s 12-year jail term was too lenient.

Relatives of Michael Boffey also expressed disbelief that Ashley Squires had been freed early from a previous sentence to launch the "criminal expedition".

The farmer's family said they believed the 22-year-old should have been tried for murder.

Squires, of Styon Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at a hearing at Birmingham Crown Court last week.

The Crown accepted his plea of not guilty to murder because no-one other than the defendant had witnessed the moment when Mr Boffey was hit by his own Land Rover. Squires's 24-year-old brother Frederick, also of Styon Road, was jailed for five-and-a-half years for assisting an offender and conspiracy to steal vehicles.

The court was told that Mr Boffey was crushed under the wheels of the Land Rover after it was stolen from the yard of his farm in Withybrook, Warwickshire, last August.

Speaking on the steps of the court after yesterday's hearing, the pig farmer's son, William, thanked the members of the public, police and the Crown Prosecution Service who were involved in bringing the brothers to justice.

But Mr Boffey launched a stinging attack on the decision to release Ashley Squires and his brother from previous sentences for similar offences.

Mr Boffey said: "Considering Ashley and Frederick Squires' career of crime we cannot believe they were released early.

Mr Boffey went on: "My dad's death was not 'just one of those things' on that fateful day it is clear to us that Ashley Squires could see my dad well before he ran him down."

The farmer's widow, Bernice, was said she was very disappointed at the sentences and would have liked to have seen Ashley Squires jailed for life.

Friends and relatives of the victim were angered that one of the brothers winked and smiled towards the public gallery as he was led away.

The court was told last week that Ashley Squires killed Mr Boffey after being freed early from a 42-month sentence for similar offences.

Revealing that Ashley Squires would have been behind bars if he had not been released early from the previous sentence, prosecution QC Stephen Linehan said the man and his brother had targeted at least seven other farms.

Ashley Squires, who also pleaded guilty to conspiracy, told police that Mr Boffey had "suddenly" run into the path of the Land Rover.