A ‘cruel’ and ‘callous’ thief has been found guilty of murdering an Amazon delivery driver who was dragged half a mile to his death as he attempted to stop his van being stolen.
Claudiu Carol-Kondor, 42, was clinging onto the van when Mark Ross, who had climbed in while a parcel was being delivered, deliberately crashed into a stationary Mini to knock him from the vehicle on August 20 last year.
Ross, 32, hit speeds of almost 60mph on residential streets and swerved erratically from side to side before hitting two parked cars, all in an effort to ‘get rid’ of Mr Kondor as he hung onto the van from the open passenger door, jurors heard.
Leeds Crown Court heard that Mr Kondor died from head and chest injuries from the second crash.
Ross had pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but denied murdering Mr Kondor, claiming he was unaware of him hanging onto the van and that speed bumps had caused him to lose control of the vehicle.
A jury of 11 found Ross guilty of murder by a majority of 10 to 1. He is due to be sentenced on Friday.
After the murder conviction, West Yorkshire Police released footage of an out-of-control Ross speeding through the streets and of the moment he was arrested on August 21 last year.
Jurors heard Mr Kondor was delivering parcels for Amazon in the Armley area of Leeds using his own silver Ford Transit van – which was full of parcels he had collected from an Amazon depot.
While he was away from his vehicle delivering a parcel, Ross, who lived nearby, climbed into the driver’s seat and started to drive the van away, the court heard.
Mark Ross (pictured), 32, has been found guilty at Leeds Crown Court of murdering Amazon delivery driver Claudiu Carol-Kondor
Amazon delivery driver Claudiu-Carol Kondor (pictured), 42, died after being flung from his van as he tried to stop it being stolen, a court heard
Mr Kondor’s Ford Transit Cargo van (pictured) was stolen as he made a delivery on August 20 2024
Prosecutor John Harrison KC said: ‘The evidence suggests Mr Kondor tried to stop him by opening the front nearside passenger door of the van and attempting to climb in.
‘Unfortunately his actions did not prevent the defendant from driving away, with Mr Kondor hanging on to his van.’
CCTV footage played in court showed Mr Kondor hanging onto the moving van through an open door as Ross drove away along Wingate Road.
‘It appears Mr Kondor did not wish to or perhaps could not let go of his van, he did not want the defendant simply to steal it,’ Mr Harrison said.
Witnesses described Mr Kondor’s legs dragging on the ground as he clung onto the inside of the open door, with one woman saying she heard him shouting ‘Help’.
Mr Harrison told jurors: ‘After speeding and swerving failed to get rid of Mr Kondor, the defendant deliberately drove into collision with two parked cars.’
He said Ross ‘deliberately’ turned the steering wheel of the van towards a black car parked on the side of the road, and when that did not knock Mr Kondor free from the van, he ‘tried again’.
‘The second collision was with a blue car which caused damage to the van, to the parked car and most significantly, caused fatal head and chest injuries to Mr Kondor,’ Mr Harrison said.
Mr Kondor (pictured here with his wife Mariana) suffered fatal head and chest injuries when he was flung from the vehicle last year, a jury was told
The scene in Leeds, West Yorkshire, after Mr Kondor was found fighting for his life
Forensics officers at the scene investigating after the driver was killed
The court heard after driving away, Ross met up with some other people and the contents of the van were removed.
In his closing speech, Mr Harrison said Ross showed a ‘complete disregard and even contempt’ for Mr Kondor’s life.
He said the ‘career criminal’ must have realised Mr Kondor, who was wearing a high-viz jacket, was there, but made the choice that the driver was ‘expendable’.
Ross, of Conference Road, Armley, told the jury how he had been a daily cannabis user since he was a child and had been out buying drugs and cigarette papers when he came across the van with no driver.
He said: ‘It wasn’t ’til I got the van I saw it was unattended, and keys were in it, and the engine was running.’
Ross said: ‘I basically jumped in it and drove it off.’
His barrister Simon Kealey KC asked him: ‘We’re you ever aware of anyone on the passenger side of the vehicle, on the door on the outside.’
He said: ‘No.’
In his closing speech, Mr Harrison said Ross (pictured) showed a ‘complete disregard and even contempt’ for Mr Kondor’s life
Ross said he later found out about the death of Mr Kondor through the internet.
He admitted stealing vans previously, but said he had ‘never been involved in anything like this before’, adding: ‘I would have stopped the van and run off if I had known he was there.’
Opening an inquest into his death last year, senior coroner Kevin McLoughlin said Mr Kondor was ‘a Romanian gentleman who was contributing to society’.
He added: ‘He was here, he was working hard, when he found someone stealing his vehicle.
‘He’s commendably tried to prevent the crime taking place but he’s paid an immensely high price for this.’
Mr Kondor, who lived in Sheffield, was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was employed by a company called SP Transport Group, who described him after his death as ‘more than just a colleague – he was a friend, a confidant and a valued member of our team’.
His family listened to the verdict via a video link to court.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle said: ‘Claudiu was a decent hard-working man and it’s clear he was determined not to let Ross take his livelihood.
‘For half a mile he bravely clung to the open door as Ross swerved the van around at speed before deliberately crashing leaving him fatally injured.
‘Claudiu came to the UK from Romania to make a better life for himself. He was described by his work colleagues as being not just a dedicated and valued member of their team but a friend and a confidant. He was also a familiar friendly face to the many people he delivered to.
‘His partner, who had also come to the UK for work, has since returned to Romania now seeing no future here. She and Claudiu’s family have been left utterly devastated by his death.
‘It is truly heart-breaking that the life of an honest hard-working man has been snatched away by the cruel and callous actions of Mark Ross.
‘Through the hard work, dedication and commitment of everyone involved, from those initial attending officers, the public providing information and CCTV, to the analytical and support staff and the detectives there throughout the investigation to its conclusion at court, we have been able to provide justice for Claudiu and his family.’
