Perth car thief who ran over mum guilty of murder

A MAN who reversed over a woman in Perth as she tried to stop him stealing a car has been convicted of murder.

Mother-of-two Marija Karovska was run over in the driveway of her family’s Mirrabooka home in February last year.

The 51-year-old went to the front yard to search her Toyota for her wallet, which Micheal Spratt had earlier stolen from inside the house, when she saw him about to drive off in her son Daniel’s Subaru.

The 26-year-old claimed he only discovered the keys inside the wallet later, then went back to thieve the car.

The Supreme Court of WA heard Ms Karovska tapped on the side windows, screaming, then stood behind the vehicle and slapped her hand on the boot.

The commotion drew her daughter Dijana outside and she testified she saw the car “crunch into gear” then jolt back slightly, knocking her mother down.

When Spratt gave evidence last week, he said he drove forward a bit in a bid to see what he’d hit, and wasn’t aware someone was behind the car.

He claimed he then put the car into reverse but it only moved when he lost control of the vehicle because the son had got in via the rear passenger door and put him in a headlock, punching him.

After Spratt got out of the car and ran off, Ms Karovska was again run over when the son moved the low-slung vehicle forward as his heavy-set mother was trapped underneath.

The daughter testified there was “no way” they could have pulled her out.

Spratt was convicted after brief jury deliberations on Tuesday and immediately yelled he was going to appeal.