• 27year sentence for man who ran over young man with truck
• Arrests made following chase and multiple acts of violence

A man was sentenced to 27 years in prison after running over a young man with a truck near a tree, killing him in Harlow, UK.

The court heard that 51-year-old Jeremy Heath drove the truck through a barrier before striking 26-year-old Arlind Xhokola against a tree in March, then abandoned the vehicle with two companions and set it on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Prosecutors said Heath and his accomplices, Joe Jones and Matthew Arnold, were searching for illegal substances on 29 March 2025.

Earlier that day, the three men had attacked another man and stolen his car, believing it contained drugs or cash, but abandoned it after finding neither.

The court added that the group encountered Xhokola walking with two friends in the Momples Road area, leading to a dispute and a subsequent chase. Xhokola ran onto a cycle path, pursued by Heath in the truck while Jones and Arnold were passengers.

Heath deliberately drove the truck over a barrier onto the bike path and struck Xhokola, using the vehicle as a weapon, causing fatal injuries to his ribs and spine, according to police.

Police said Heath was arrested two days later, while Arnold, who sustained serious injuries, was arrested in hospital on 1 April. Jones fled to Sheerness before being arrested on 2 April.

Judge Loram expressed her anger during sentencing, describing Heath’s actions as driven by rage, noting that Xhokola was unarmed and posed no threat.

Jones was sentenced to four years for robbery and possession of a knife, while Arnold received two years.

Detective Inspector James Holmes called the incident “a deliberate, violent act using a heavy vehicle as a weapon” and described Heath as a dangerous criminal.

Holmes added that the convictions make Harlow a safer place and that the local community was shocked by the brutal crime.