A man has been found guilty of murdering a headteacher after dragging him more than a mile underneath his car. Michael Mullins, 56, was cycling home from Stretford Grammar School in Manchester on April 20 when he was struck by a Volvo XC90 driven by Simon Richardson.
After hitting the headteacher at the junction of Dunham Road and Warburton Lane, Richardson drove off, dragging Mr Mullins under his vehicle for 1.3 miles (2.2km) until he was finally released on Wet Gate Lane in Lymm. Mr Mullins suffered serious injuries and died at the scene.
Guilty Verdict After Two Days of Deliberations
Richardson, 35, of no fixed abode, but formerly of Epsom Avenue in Sale, had pleaded not guilty to murder, an alternate offence of manslaughter, and dangerous driving. His trial opened at Minshull Street Crown Court earlier this month.
Today (October 30), after two days of deliberations, he was found guilty of murder and dangerous driving. He will be sentenced on Monday, November 2.
Prosecution Details of the Fatal Collision
Opening the case on October 13, Phil Barnes KC told jurors that eyewitnesses stopped to help after the collision, but Richardson did not. He said Richardson fled the scene, at times travelling at double the speed limit.
Mr Barnes said: "Michael Mullins was nowhere to be seen. Why? Because he was trapped beneath Simon Richardson’s car." He added there was "no way on earth that Simon Richardson could not have known that he had just hit Michael Mullins" as he fled the scene.
Later in the journey, Richardson stopped his Volvo in a quiet country lane, got out and attempted to pull Mr Mullins out from under the car, the court heard. The defendant then drove on and was seen "veering sharply and deliberately from side to side" before his car mounted a grass verge.
Mr Barnes said: "Michael Mullins was crushed to death beneath the wheels of this defendant’s car, and his death was made quicker by the fact that he had been dragged against the surface of the road by Simon Richardson for more than 2km."
