A car thief who repeatedly ran over a 76-year-old Bristol man who was trying to stop his car being stolen has been found guilty of murder.
A man who was found guilty of murdering a 76-year-old who was trying to stop him stealing his car must serve at least 16 years in prison.
Scott Couch, 23, of Severn Beach admitted to Bristol Crown Court he had taken and driven the automatic Skoda Octavia on 29 November 2008.
Scott Couch, 23, of Severn Beach, had fought with Walter Bollen, of Bristol, and knocked him to the ground.
Walter Bollen fought with him but was knocked to the ground before being hit with the car.
Couch then used Mr Bollen's car to run over the elderly man twice.
Couch was jailed for life with the tariff to be set later in the week.
Speaking after sentencing Chief Inspector Richard Kelvey of Avon and Somerset Police said: "This was a tragic and unnecessary death."
Mr Bollen was on his way home from dancing and had stopped to key in a code to open security gates to his driveway when Couch jumped into his open car.
Couch was found guilty at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday and given a life sentence, but the setting of a minimum tariff term was delayed until later in the week.
The court heard Couch had been out drinking and was looking for a quick way home.
"While no verdict or sentence can bring Mr Bollen back, his family and friends can at least derive some comfort from the fact that the person responsible for killing him has been brought to justice," said Ch Insp Kelvey.
Police described Couch as "extremely violent" and "dangerous"
"This verdict was made possible through old-fashioned policing.
A witness told the jury how the defendant leapt into the driver's seat to steal the car, but Mr Bollen saw him and in the struggle that followed the pensioner was knocked to the ground.
"We are extremely grateful to everyone in the community who supported and co-operated with our investigation; we could not have done it without you," he said.
While he lay there Couch reversed the car over him twice before driving away.
After reaching their verdict the jury was told of Couch's long history of car theft and burglary, including one incident during which he rammed a police car in a failed attempt to escape.
Det Insp Guy Turner, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "Couch is an extremely violent, dangerous individual, an arrogant man whose behaviour in court has been appalling."
