A jury has convicted Simon Richardson, 35, of murdering a cyclist who became trapped beneath his car and was dragged for more than a mile. The verdict was returned at Manchester Minshull Street crown court on Friday, 30 October. Mrs Justice Brunner KC said Richardson would be sentenced on Monday.
Michael Mullins, 56, was riding home from his job as headteacher of Stretford grammar school in Greater Manchester on the evening of 20 April when the collision occurred in Warburton. Richardson drove his Volvo XC90 through give-way markings and struck him. Mullins hit the bonnet and windscreen before falling beneath the vehicle, where he became caught in its suspension.
The prosecution said Richardson continued driving despite knowing Mullins was trapped just inches below his feet. His cousin Gabrielle Debotte, who was in the front passenger seat, testified that they both heard moaning from outside the vehicle as they left the scene. She told jurors that Richardson then said: “He’s under the car.”
Jurors heard that Richardson drove to an isolated farm track in Lymm, 1.3 miles from the collision, to try to free the trapped cyclist. After stopping, he twice attempted to pull Mullins out. He then returned to the vehicle, steered sharply from side to side and drove onto a grass verge. Mullins came loose, but Richardson drove over him again while reversing and leaving.
A motorcyclist traced a trail of blood from the collision scene and found Mullins alone on the verge, barely breathing. Emergency services could not save him. Mullins, a father of two from Northwich in Cheshire, died from multiple injuries. Police arrested Richardson the following day after pursuing his vehicle.
Richardson denied murder, maintaining that he had not known Mullins was beneath the car and had not got out to attempt to release him. Prosecutor Phil Barnes KC argued that Richardson knew what continuing to drive would mean for Mullins and chose to leave to escape responsibility for the collision.
In his closing address on Tuesday, defence barrister Jaime Hamilton KC acknowledged that Richardson’s actions had caused Mullins’ death and described his conduct as selfish. He nevertheless argued that this did not establish guilt for the homicide offences charged. The jury began deliberating on Wednesday and delivered its verdict on Friday.
Members of Mullins’ family wept as the verdict was announced. In a statement, they described his devotion to his family and the gap his death had left both in their lives and at his school. The judge acknowledged the distressing evidence jurors had heard and excused them from further jury service for 10 years.
