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Driver who dragged cyclist under his car guilty of murder
A jury at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court found Simon Richardson guilty of murder over the death of cyclist Michael Mullins. The Crown chose murder over causing death by dangerous driving because Richardson kept driving knowing Mullins was trapped, and death or really serious injury was virtually foreseeable. The CPS says this is one of the first murder convictions arising following a road traffic collision.
What this means
Judge Mrs Justice Brunner KC told Richardson there was only one sentence for murder, life imprisonment. He returns to Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to be sentenced on Monday (2026-11-02).
The charge turned on one decision: Richardson kept driving. Prosecutor Phil Barnes KC told the court: «Simon Richardson knew he was there and he inevitably knew what the consequences of driving on would be, and he did it anyway». Richardson denied murder and manslaughter, saying he did not realise Mullins was underneath the vehicle. His defence counsel Jaime Hamilton KC told the jury he was responsible for the death and acted selfishly, but was not guilty of homicide offences. Jurors were told that to convict of murder they must be sure he intended to kill or cause really serious harm during part of the period Mullins was dragged; the alternative was manslaughter by assault. The jury returned a guilty verdict on murder. Richardson was also found guilty of dangerous driving in Failsworth, Oldham, the day after.
Sources
Motorist who drove into cyclist and knowingly dragged him under his car for over a mile, leaving a trail of blood, found guilty of murderDriver guilty of murder after striking local headteacher on a bicycle and dragging him beneath the car | The Crown Prosecution ServiceCar driver who dragged head teacher to his death guilty of murderSimon Richardson 'selfish' for crash but not murderer, jury told
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