A judge has said that a private prosecution of a motorist for allegedly causing the death by careless driving of London cyclist Michael Mason can proceed.
Mr Mason, also known as Mick, died in hospital in March 2014, nearly three weeks after the collision on Regent Street involving a Nissan Juke driven by 58-year-old Gail Purcell of St Albans, Hertfordshire.
The 70-year-old, a teacher at Westminster’s Grey Coat Hospital girls’ school, sustained “severe traumatic brain injury” as a result of the crash.
The private prosecution has been brought on behalf of Mr Mason’s family by the Cyclists’ Defence Fund (CDF), the first such action it has instigated.
It was launched after the Metropolitan Police Service decided not to press charges, and is funded by donations from the public which have reached almost £64,000 made through the website Just Giving.
At Westminster Magistrates’ Court today, Ms Purcell pleaded not guilty to the charge, reports the London Evening Standard’s Ross Lydall.
District judge Kenneth Grant gave the go-ahead for the private prosecution, but said the seriousness of the offence meant it could not be heard at magistrates’ court.
Instead, the case, which has been adjourned until 11 October, will be tried at Southwark Crown Court.
Please note that we are unable to accept comments on this story.
Indeed - but it's no more inconsistent than our current road design - very often UK high streets are "for shopping" and also a busy through route....
I disagree, it's not up to the cyclist to police the road, had no car been coming the other way there's room to overtake safely if they cross the...
People who are subsidised* to make big holes in road (amongst other negative effects) complain about the holes in the road. Same people also...
Yes, obviously complain, a (registered) letter to the CEO perhaps? This should not have happened by Avanti's stated procedure....
If you ask the world's leading economic commentators how many people have been rescued from abject poverty by capitalism the average answer would...
loads of parking
I hate it when I can't find the obvious source of a puncture.
Now, if we're talking gravel bikes, that's a whole different story. Gimme, gimme, gimme! Apologies for the Facebook link....
The police are operationally independent, in fact the regional Police and Crime Commissioners have to swear in their oath of office that they will...
"'Right", said Fred, "we'll 'ave to get a move on…"