Headteacher killed after being dragged by driver’s SUV for over a mile in trial
A Manchester court heard that Simon Richardson drove his Volvo SUV over a mile while Michael Mullins, a Stretford Grammar headteacher cycling home, remained trapped beneath it, leading to Mullins’ death.
In Minshull Street Crown Court, prosecutors claim Simon Richardson, 35, deliberately failed to stop after his black Volvo XC90 struck Michael Mullins, 56, the headteacher of Stretford Grammar School, who was cycling home from work in Altrincham on April 20. CCTV captured the collision and the sound of the impact, after which Richardson is accused of driving straight through give-way signs and continuing at up to 60 mph, dragging Mullins beneath the vehicle for more than a mile and a quarter.
Although Richardson stopped briefly and saw Mullins still alive, he allegedly attempted to dislodge him by steering, then resumed the drive, eventually throwing the victim onto a grass verge where he was run over again before the driver fled. Paramedics treated Mullins at the roadside, but he was pronounced dead 40 minutes later. After the incident Richardson is said to have refueled, obtained weight-loss medication, and swapped his Volvo for a van while his cousin Gabrielle Debotte later reported the events to police. Richardson denies the murder charge and remains in custody as the five-week trial proceeds.
Why it matters
The case highlights serious concerns about road safety, driver responsibility and the legal treatment of fatal hit-and-run incidents.
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