Driver who dragged head teacher to his death jailed

Warning: This article contains distressing content

A driver who dragged a head teacher to his death for more than a mile under the wheels of his car has been jailed for life for murder.

Simon Richardson, 35, crashed into 56-year-old Michael Mullins in Warburton, Greater Manchester, on 20 April as the married father-of-two cycled home from Stretford Grammar School in Trafford.

Jurors at Richardson's trial heard he then stopped to try to dislodge the injured but still-living cyclist before driving on with him still lodged underneath the vehicle.

The judge at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court told Richardson that he would have to serve a minimum of 25 years in prison.

Richardson had previous convictions for 28 offences, with a "significant history" of driving-related crimes.

He was also on bail at the time of the murder for offences including affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Mrs Justice Brenner KC said Richardson, who looked straight ahead as he was being sentenced, "took away a life and in doing so you caused devastation to a family and a community".

She added: "You deliberately used your car as a weapon over a prolonged period.

"You have repeated convictions for a range of serious driving offences over a 15-year period.

"This demonstrates the complete contempt you have for the law."

The judge told the court she had to hand Richardson a lifetime driving ban to "protect the public".

In her victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing, Mr Mullins' wife of 27 years, Sarah, said her husband had been her "safety net".

She spoke of the "all-consuming lethargy that makes it feel difficult to put one foot in front of another" since his death.

"My past, present and future have been brutally and callously torn apart, my present is empty and often seems to be without purpose," she said.

Elizabeth Baxter, acting head teacher at Stretford Grammar School, said it was an "honour and a privilege" to have worked alongside her predecessor.

Mr Mullins had led the school for 17 years before his death.

The court heard Richardson had an "appalling driving record" including previous convictions for drink driving and careless driving.

Judge Brenner said: "You heard [Mr Mullins] moaning for many minutes and I am sure you knew you were dragging a man who you believed was conscious for four-and-a-half minutes.

"You drove at speed, performed manoeuvres that would cause injury and even though you knew the state he was in, you carried on."

The court also heard it was "astonishing that no-one else was injured".

Referring to CCTV footage of the incident, Brenner said it was "too distressing to watch" as it captured an "astonishing disregard for human life".

"He could not have been more vulnerable," the judge added.

"You did that because you believe fleeing from the scene of the incident was more important than human life."

Richardson drove through "give-way" markings at a junction in Altrincham and into the path of father-of-two Mr Mullins, who fell on to his bonnet and windscreen before being drawn under the car.

Mr Mullins became entangled in the suspension of the 4×4 as Richardson drove on, the court heard.

Prosecutors said the defendant was aware the trapped cyclist was inches below his feet shortly after the collision in Paddock Lane, Warburton.

Richardson's front-seat passenger, his cousin Gabrielle Debotte, told the trial that both heard "moaning" from outside as he drove from the collision scene.

The prosecution said Richardson drove to a secluded farm track in Wet Gate Lane in Lymm, 1.3 miles (2.1km) from Paddock Lane, in a bid to dislodge Mr Mullins, who was "the single, solid piece of evidence of what he was driving away from".

He twice attempted to pull Mr Mullins out before returning to the car and veering sharply and deliberately from side to side before mounting a grass verge.

The court also heard Mr Mullins was finally released but Richardson reversed his vehicle over the head teacher and then drove away.

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

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

Richardson was arrested the next day following a police chase

Defence barrister Jaime Hamilton KC said the absence of premeditation was a "significant feature" in the case, and that Richardson had not intended to use his vehicle as a weapon.

Jurors returned a guilty verdict on Friday after a trial lasting more than two weeks.

He was also convicted of dangerous driving in relation to the police pursuit on 21 April.

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