'Inhumane' motorists drove OVER and around hit-and-run victim as he lay dying in the street

Motorists who left a cyclist to die in the road after he was knocked over by a stolen car were described as inhuman yesterday.

Instead of stopping, they simply swerved around him, and detectives believe that one may even have driven over the badly injured Stephen Wills, breaking both his legs.

By the time a passer-by finally raised the alarm, Mr Wills, 55, who had been riding home from a dinner, was already dead.

The self-employed plasterer was cycling down a dual carriageway in Manchester at about 3.30am last Saturday when he was knocked over by a stolen VW Golf. The car was later found burnt-out nearby.

Witnesses said that instead of stopping to help Mr Wills as crucial minutes ticked by, other motorists steered around his body, and police believe one actually drove over him.

"It's a pretty sad state set of affairs when people refuse to stop to help a fellow human who is clearly in dire need of help," said a police source.

"Behaviour like this seems simply inhuman, and it's hard to believe that drivers refused to stop and help. What's worse is that one driver may have even driven over Stephen's legs before heading off.

"We can only assume in some cases it was more important to those drivers that they got home instead of stopping to help a dying man."

When paramedics arrived it was too late and Mr Wills was pronounced dead at the scene, apparently as a result of head injuries sustained in the initial collision.

He lived by himself in the Moss Side area of Manchester.

He is thought to have had no children of his own, but was regarded as a "father figure" by the two sons of a divorcee with whom he had been in a relationship.

One of them, Shahid Karim, aged 25, said last night he was horrified to hear of Mr Wills' last moments.

"I called him 'Dad' even though he wasn't my biological father, and he was a wonderful dad," he said.

"He was the most kind-hearted man, he would always help someone. He taught me how to always be polite and how to respect women and look after your family.

"I just wish people had more compassion. He will be terribly missed." Neighbours also said they were appalled that someone hadn't pulled over to help.

"If any of these drivers had any feelings they would have stopped to help Stephen," said Julia Wheat, 58. "Instead they left him lying there like a dying animal.

"Everybody is very shocked and upset. Stephen was a lovely man but he was shown no respect at all in his last moments."

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The stolen car had been taken from a property that was burgled the previous Saturday. A gang took a widescreen TV, a games console and two digital cameras, as well as a spare set of keys to the Golf, which was being used by its owners at the time.

They apparently returned a week later and used the spare keys to steal the car, running into Mr Wills soon afterwards.

Detective Inspector Terry Crompton, of Greater Manchester Police, appealed for the car thieves and other witnesses to come forward.

"A man who clearly had a lot to offer people, and was dearly loved by his friends, has lost his life at the hands of some cowardly thieves," he said.

He said that the longer the drivers of the Golf left it before they gave themselves up "the more guilty you will become".