A woman who hit and killed a cyclist in Cholsey in Oxfordshire last year has admitted causing death by careless bdriving. Appearing at Oxford Crown Court, Maria Sutton also admitted lying to police about her car being stolen, but denied being over the drink-driving limit.
The Oxford Times reports that Dr Graham Ruecroft was cycling from Cholsey Railway Station to his home in Wallingford at around 10pm on June 4 when he was hit by a dark-coloured Kia which failed to stop.
He was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxofrd but died five days later. Opening an inquest last year, Coroner Darren Salter said he died from brain injuries.
Accused of being double the drink-driving limit, Sutton denied causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit. However, she admitted perverting the course of justice after telling police her car had been stolen at the time of Dr Ruecroft's death.
Sutton faces up to five years in prison for causing death by careless driving, but if convicted of causing death by careless driving while over the drink driving limit, the maximum sentence is 14 years.
The trial will take place on June 6.
The Oxford Mail reports that Ruecroft, a research chemist, co-founded two Oxford firms: Prosonix which researched and developed asthma drugs and inhalers; and Celbius, which researches improved manufacture of pharmaceuticals and biofuels.
He was also a brass band player. Oxford and Cherwell conductor Terry Brotherhood said of him: “He was right at the top of his profession, but he was also just a fabulous bloke. You couldn’t wish to meet somebody nicer.”
NB: This article has been updated since its original publication due to confusion in the source report, which stated that Sutton had also pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, an offence with which she was not charged.
Please nore for legal reasons we are not accepting comments on this story.
Ah - but trees. Yes - it does look like this would affect trees maybe here? That always seems to stir emotions....
I'm going to show my bike a picture of this shed and tell it, "If you don't behave..."
Look at the still Picture at the top of this article, had the driver been in secondary, roughly in line with the left most part of the lighter bit...
I regularly see the Household Cavalry and Royal Artillery horses exercising when I'm out and about in London and they are absolutely fine with...
Ex black cab https://twitter.com/KingArtAT/status/1783296299787309088
Quite. I was wondering where the cycling infrastructure is located that causes drivers to go 90 on the M3?
If one is prepared to pay £28 for a TPU tube, the butyl comparison should be Continental's Supersonic ~50g or Schwalbe at 70g. Both costing £8 - ...
I'd buy that for a dollar.
Media needs to do their part, but the readr/consumer also needs to do theirs as well:...