In a shocking incident witnessed by shoppers outside a busy supermarket, a woman managed to escape from a white van, causing panic and chaos in the car park.
The incident took place at an Asda supermarket in the Kingswood area of Hull on May 6, leaving onlookers horrified and concerned for the woman’s safety. The details of the incident were revealed during a court hearing at Hull Crown Court.
According to witnesses, a white van was seen speeding through the car park of the Asda supermarket, endangering the lives of pedestrians. People had to take “evasive action” to avoid being hit by the reckless driver.
Moments later, a woman stumbled out of the van, visibly distressed and screaming for help. However, the driver, identified as Shaun Chapman, quickly caught up with her and forcibly threw her back into the van before speeding away.
Witnesses reported seeing Chapman chasing after the woman, who was “screaming and frightened, shouting for somebody to help her”.
The woman managed to contact the police while Chapman continued his pursuit. They were later spotted on the banks of the River Hull, where they were shouting and screaming at each other.
Chapman, 41 years old, was arrested later that day and charged with affray and careless driving. During his court appearance, Judge Mark Berry criticised Chapman for his reckless behaviour, stating: “You were driving round Asda car park in such a manner it is plain those people who witnessed what happened were more frightened by it than you or your partner as they had no idea what was going on. Due to the way you were driving and acting, no one wanted to get involved and see what the problem was.
“But now it appears that whatever those problems were are now in the past. You and your partner are planning a future together.”
The judge emphasised the impact of Chapman’s actions on the public, noting that no one wanted to intervene due to the dangerous situation he created.
Despite the severity of the incident, Judge Berry acknowledged Chapman had a stable job as a plasterer and urged him to maintain a responsible and law-abiding lifestyle.
He said: “You are not a child anymore and you have a business to run. It is down to you and your partner to keep on an even keel.”
Chapman was sentenced to four months in prison for affray, with no additional penalty for careless driving. However, he received five points on his driving license. Having already served his time on remand, Chapman was released from custody on Tuesday.
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