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A motorist who struck a cyclist and dragged him beneath his vehicle for more than a mile has been convicted of murder following a trial at Manchester Minshull Street crown court.
The Fatal Collision and Witness Accounts
Simon Richardson, 35, drove straight through give-way markers at a junction in Warburton, Greater Manchester, striking 56-year-old Michael Mullins. The victim, a headteacher cycling home from Stretford grammar school on the early evening of April 20, fell onto the bonnet and windscreen of the Volvo XC90 before ending up underneath the car and becoming entangled in the vehicle’s suspension.
Prosecutors stated that Richardson was fully aware the cyclist was trapped inches below his feet. Phil Barnes KC told the jury that the driver chose to flee rather than face the consequences of the initial collision. Richardson’s cousin and front seat passenger, Gabrielle Debotte, testified that they both heard moaning from outside after the crash and that Richardson acknowledged Mullins was under the car.
Attempted Concealment and Arrest
The prosecution outlined how Richardson drove to a secluded farm track in Wet Gate Lane, Lymm, located 1.3 miles away, in an effort to dislodge Mullins. He attempted twice to pull the victim out before returning to the vehicle, driving sharply and deliberately from side to side, and mounting a grass verge. Mullins was finally dislodged, but was run over again as the driver reversed and sped away.
A motorcyclist tracing a trail of blood from Paddock Lane eventually found Mullins alone and barely breathing on a grass verge. Emergency services arrived but were unable to save Mullins, a resident of Northwich in Cheshire, who succumbed to multiple injuries.
Richardson was apprehended the following day after a police vehicle pursuit. During the trial, he denied murder, claiming he was unaware Mullins was trapped underneath the vehicle and asserting he never got out to try to free him.
Verdict and Sentencing
Jurors began deliberating on Wednesday and delivered their verdicts on Friday morning, prompting family members to weep in the public gallery. Richardson, who had no fixed address, was additionally convicted of dangerous driving related to the police chase on April 21.
Mrs Justice Brunner KC excused the jurors from future jury service for a decade, acknowledging the distressing nature of the evidence presented during the trial. In a statement, Mullins’ family remembered him as a dedicated family man and a cherished headteacher whose absence has left an irreparable void.
Richardson is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday.
