Driver Guilty of Murder After Dragging Cyclist Under 4x4
A jury has found Simon Richardson, 35, guilty of murdering a cyclist he dragged under his car for more than a mile. The verdict came on Friday at Manchester Minshull Street crown court.
The victim was Michael Mullins, 56, headteacher of Stretford grammar school in Greater Manchester. He was cycling home from work on the evening of 20 April when Richardson crashed into him.
Mullins struck the bonnet and windscreen of Richardson's Volvo XC90 and went under the car. He became entangled in the suspension. The court heard that Richardson kept driving, knowing the cyclist was just inches beneath his feet.
A farm track in Lymm
The collision happened in the village of Warburton. Richardson then drove 1.3 miles to a secluded farm track in Lymm, trying to dislodge Mullins, the court heard. He twice tried to pull the cyclist out. Then he returned to the car and drove sharply from side to side before mounting a grass verge.
Mullins was finally freed, but Richardson reversed and drove over him again before leaving. A motorcyclist followed a trail of blood from the collision spot and found Mullins alone and barely breathing on the verge. Emergency services could not save him. Mullins, from Northwich, Cheshire, died from multiple injuries.
Richardson's front-seat passenger, his cousin Gabrielle Debotte, gave evidence for the prosecution. She said they both heard "moaning" from outside as he drove away. She said Richardson went on to say: "He's under the car."
Richardson denied murder. He claimed he did not realise Mullins was underneath and said he did not get out to try to free him. He was arrested the next day after a police vehicle pursuit.
The prosecutor, Phil Barnes KC, told the jury that Richardson knew and "inevitably knew what the consequences of driving on would be, and he did it anyway". He said the defendant chose to drive away to escape the consequences of what he had done.
In his closing speech on Tuesday, defence counsel Jaime Hamilton KC said it was Richardson's actions that led to the death of Mullins. He argued that this did not make his client guilty of the homicide offences on the indictment.
Jurors began considering their verdict on Wednesday. Members of Mullins's family were in tears when it was delivered. The trial judge, Mrs Justice Brunner KC, excused the jurors from jury service for 10 years and said she would sentence Richardson on Monday.
In a statement, the family said Mullins was devoted to his family and that "our lives will never be the same". They added that a gap had been left in their hearts and in his role as headteacher of Stretford grammar school.
Source: The Guardian