Simon Richardson Found Guilty of Murder of Cyclist Michael Mullins

A driver has been found guilty of murder after dragging a cyclist under his car for more than a mile in Greater Manchester. The Guardian reported that jurors at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court returned the verdict at about 11:45am on Friday, 30 October. The jury had been sent out to consider the case on Wednesday. Simon Richardson, 35, will be sentenced on Monday.

The victim, Michael Mullins, was 56 and headteacher of Stretford grammar school in Manchester. He was from Northwich in Cheshire. On the evening of 20 April, he was cycling home from the school when he was struck by a Volvo XC90 driven by Richardson.

The trial heard that Richardson drove through give-way markers at a junction in Altrincham and into Mullins's path. Mullins fell onto the bonnet and windscreen before going under the vehicle, where he became entangled in its suspension as Richardson kept driving.

Richardson's front-seat passenger was his cousin, Gabrielle Debotte. She told the court she heard moaning from outside as he drove away, and said Richardson told her "He's under the car."

According to evidence at the trial, Richardson drove 1.3 miles to a farm track on Wet Gate Lane in Lymm in an attempt to dislodge Mullins. He twice tried to pull Mullins out, then veered sharply from side to side and mounted a grass verge. Mullins was released, but he was driven over as Richardson reversed and drove away.

A motorcyclist followed a trail of blood from Paddock Lane and found Mullins alone on a grass verge, barely breathing. Emergency services attended, but Mullins died of multiple injuries.

Richardson, of no fixed address, was arrested the next day after a police vehicle pursuit. He denied murder, saying he did not realise Mullins was underneath his car. He was also found guilty of dangerous driving on 21 April, the date of the police pursuit that preceded his arrest.

Richardson is due to be sentenced at the same court on Monday.