Man accused of murdering headteacher had ‘no consideration’ for road users, jury told

A motorist accused of murdering a grammar school headteacher sped off from police looking to arrest him the following day, a court has heard.

Headteacher Michael Mullins, 56, was struck by a black Volvo XC90 as he cycled home from Stretford Grammar School in Manchester during the early evening of 20 April.

Simon Richardson, 35, is said to have driven at speed through give way markers at a junction in Warburton, Altrincham, and into the path of Mr Mullins.

Prosecutors accuse Richardson of murder because they say he knew Mr Mullins was beneath the wheels of his vehicle but drove on anyway.

It is alleged Richardson later travelled to a country lane in Lymm, Cheshire, and “veered sharply and deliberately from side to side” before he mounted a grass verge and drove over Mr Mullins who was finally dislodged.

Mr Mullins, from Northwich, Cheshire, was found still breathing in Wet Gate Lane – 2.2 kilometres from the collision in Paddock Lane – but was pronounced dead at the scene at 6.50pm, about 40 minutes after he was knocked off his bike.

On Tuesday, jurors at Manchester Minshull Crown Street watched dashcam footage of a police pursuit of the defendant driving a silver Ford Transit van in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, on 21 April.

The van was followed to William Street where it briefly stopped and then sped off as officers approached.

In a statement read to the court, Pc Gerard Elliott, said he heard “tyres squealing” as the van took off and turned left into an alleyway and on to Oldham Road.

A pursuit followed in densely populated residential streets as Pc Elliott said he reached speeds of 50mph but was “not gaining on the Transit van”.

The van came to a stop in nearby Co-operation Street due to another vehicle blocking its path, said the officer, as the suspect ran off before he was apprehended shorty after, the court heard.

Another officer involved in the pursuit, Insp Tom Abbott, told the court: “The (van) driver showed no consideration for the safety of other drivers and pedestrians.”

Last week jurors saw CCTV footage of Richardson allegedly driving “erratically” in the moments before the fatal collision.

His Volvo was said to be “absolutely tanking it” by a witness before he overtook cars on the approach to the junction of Dunham Road and Paddock Lane, the court heard.

Richardson denies murder and an alternative count of manslaughter.

He has also pleaded not guilty to an offence of dangerous driving.