Man who ran over cyclist and dragged him under car for a mile convicted of murder

A motorist who mowed down a cyclist and dragged him under his car for more than a mile has been found guilty of murder.

Headteacher Michael Mullins, 56, was travelling home from Stretford grammar school in Manchester in the early evening of 20 April this year when he was struck by a Volvo XC90 driven by Simon Richardson.

Richardson, 35, drove straight through give-way markers at a junction in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, and into the path of Mullins, who fell on to his bonnet and windscreen before he went under the car.

The father of two became entangled in the suspension of the 4×4 vehicle as Richardson drove on, Manchester Minshull Street crown court heard. Prosecutors said the defendant was aware the trapped cyclist was inches below his feet shortly after the collision in Warburton.

Phil Barnes KC told jurors: “Simon Richardson knew he was there and he inevitably knew what the consequences of driving on would be, and he did it anyway. For a split second after the collision, for a brief moment he possibly thought about doing the right thing and getting out and taking ownership of what he had just done and help the man he had just run down.

“But Simon Richardson did not get out. He did not do the right thing. He chose to drive away. The obvious reason is because he wanted to escape the consequences of what he had just done.”

Richardson’s front seat passenger, his cousin Gabrielle Debotte, told the trial that both heard “moaning” from outside as he drove away from the scene. Giving evidence for the prosecution she said Richardson went on to say: “He’s under the car.”

The prosecution said Richardson drove to a secluded farm track in Wet Gate Lane, Lymm, 1.3 miles away, in an attempt to dislodge Mullins.

He twice attempted to pull Mullins out before he returned to the car and veered sharply and deliberately from side to side before he mounted a grass verge. His victim was finally released, but he was driven over as Richardson reversed and drove away.

A motorcyclist followed a trail of blood from Paddock Lane and discovered Mullins alone and barely breathing on the grass verge, the court heard.

Emergency services attended but were unable to save Mullins, from Northwich in Cheshire, who died from multiple injuries.

Richardson was arrested the next day after a police vehicle pursuit. He denied murder as he claimed he did not realise Mullins was underneath his car and said he did not get out of his vehicle to try to free him.

Jurors were sent out to consider their verdicts on Wednesday and returned at about 11.45am on Friday. Family members in the public gallery were in tears after the verdicts were returned.

Richardson, of no fixed address, was found guilty of a separate allegation of dangerous driving, on 21 April after the police pursuit.

He will be sentenced on Monday.

Mrs Justice Brunner KC discharged the jurors from taking jury service again for 10 years and told them: “This was, I know, an upsetting case and there was evidence which you may have found distressing.”

Mullins’s family said: “He was devoted to his family and our lives will never be the same. A gap has been left in our hearts and within his role as a headteacher of Stretford grammar school.”