Two people have appeared in court charged with causing the death by dangerous driving of a Hartlepool cyclist last year.
Graham Pattison, aged 49, sustained fatal injuries following a collision between a Ford Fiesta and Audi TT on 24 July last year, reports Gazette Live.
He was taken to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, but medical staff were unable to save him.
The fatal crash happened as Mr Pattison was cycling along the A689 between Wynyard and Sedgefield.
The two cars had both been seen exiting the A1 shortly beforehand, according to a Cleveland Police appeal at the time.
Both David Ferry, aged 46, and Paige Robinson, aged 23 denied the charge of causing death by dangerous driving when they appeared at Teeside Crown Court today.
Their trial, expected to last five days, has been scheduled to start on 25 July next year, with an interim hearing due to take place on 13 December.
Nick Dry, prosecuting, said that the Crown intends to call a number of witnesses and today’s hearing was told that it believes a “suggestion of competitive driving” may have led to the fatal crash.
Ferry, from Redcar, and Robinson, from Billingham, have both been released on bail.
Following Mr Pattison’s death, his family released a statement via police in which they said: “Graham was a dearly loved husband, father and son.
“We are in shock at his loss and our lives will never be the same without him.”
Please note that we are unable to accept comments on this story.
He never really expected anything different, he's just building up his CV in advance of the GE (look how many questions I have aske of ministers!).
Sympathies for the victim...
The wide road where no-one lives and people say 20mph makes no sense...
I see about one person/month riding along with the forks on backwards. Usually this is a kid at the local BMX track and the parents don't know...
I mean seriously people - it's an open goal right there...
Yes, most unexpected. I was so surprised at not seeing the usual Gammon bollocks under a cycling-related story that I nearly stopped for a red light.
I've seen Pogacar on 170 and 165 cranks too
I was waiting for a cyclingMikey character to stop in the middle of the cycle route incanting "You will not pass".
There's discussion of that here: https://road.cc/content/news/uk-government-review-motorists-caught-out-c...
Also to reduce the likelihood of payments by insurance companies if they can show that a cyclist victim wasn't wearing a helmet or wearing it...