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Arrest made in connection with series of attacks on cyclists in Leicestershire

Incidents took place in and around Hinckley in 11-day period in July

Police in Leicestershire have arrested a man in connection with four separate incidents in the county last month in which cyclists were either forced off the road or pushed from their bikes by the occupants of a vehicle described as an old, silver BMW.

The incidents all took place in or around Hinckley in the south west of the county between 4 July and 14 July.

In the first, which took place in Earl Shilton, 49-year-old former international cyclist Martin Webster sustained cuts and bruises, reports the Leicester Mercury.

Two days later, on 6 July, Andy Limb, aged 55, suffered a broken collarbone after a motorist ran him off the road in Croft, the rider ending up in a ditch.

"I'm still in a sling and won't be back at work for another five weeks,” said Mr Limb, who works as a lorry driver.

"The cycling community is very wary at the moment," he added.

The next cyclist to be targeted was 48-year-old Colin Haynes, the incident taking place in Broughton Astley, with the rider reporting that a vehicle occupant had pushed him from his bike.

In the final reported incident, which took place in Hinckley itself on 14 July, the victim was a 51-year-old male who asked for his identity not to be disclosed, and who was left with a gash on his head.

The man arrested in connection with all four assaults has been released on police bail, reports the newspaper.

Earlier this week, we reported on another similar incident that took place close to Nuneaton, just across the border with Warwickshire.

The officer investigating that case for Warwickshire Police subsequently told road.cc that they did not believe it was linked to the incidents in Leicestershire.

Referring to the assault in Warwickshire, which left a cyclist with a broken arm and head injuries, a spokesperson for Leicestershire Police told the Leicester Mercury: "We were notified by Warwickshire police and we have been liaising with them, but it's too early to tell whether this incident is linked to the attacks in Leicestershire."

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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13 comments

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alexb | 10 years ago
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It would be nice if all the employers involved took out a private action to recover their losses whilst their employees were off work.
Men in their late 40's could be expected to be earning at or close to the higher tax rate, implying costs to the employers of several hundred pounds a week at a bare minimum. If you deliberately injured a cyclist (which your insurance definitely wouldn't cover) and then had to cover the cost of their time off work, it wouldn't look quite so funny when the bailiffs show up on the doorstep to enforce the court order would it?

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usedtobefaster replied to alexb | 10 years ago
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alexb wrote:

It would be nice if all the employers involved took out a private action to recover their losses whilst their employees were off work.
Men in their late 40's could be expected to be earning at or close to the higher tax rate, implying costs to the employers of several hundred pounds a week at a bare minimum. If you deliberately injured a cyclist (which your insurance definitely wouldn't cover) and then had to cover the cost of their time off work, it wouldn't look quite so funny when the bailiffs show up on the doorstep to enforce the court order would it?

Now this idea I like +1

The only way these sort of idiots will change behaviour is to hit them where it hurts the most - the wallet.

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PJ McNally | 10 years ago
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N.b. - DO NOT DO THIS, we have a justice system, no-one should need to take the law into their own hands.

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PJ McNally | 10 years ago
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Yes, we should look on the bright side -

it looks like one of those cyclists has access to another mode of transport - a lorry.

Wouldn't it be terrible if, perhaps due to a sudden twinge in his broken collarbone, he were to happen to collide with an old silver BMW?

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Colin Peyresourde | 10 years ago
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Well I for one am glad they have found a suspect. Hopefully they have the right man.

I look forward to hearing the result of his court case and I hope they are able to make the charges stick with suitable severity. I would imagine dangerous driving and or various assault charges.

I hope all the pessimistic comments above realise how negative they are.

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HLaB | 10 years ago
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They should be charged with attempted murder, so they'll probably get a £60fine  7

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banzicyclist2 | 10 years ago
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I've always thought if I wanted to murder someone I'd just run 'em over, and say I was adjusting the radio, or fiddling with the air-con, or may be "very sorry officer..... I spilt my cappuccino in my lap."

Seems to be a reasonable excuse!  14

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sporran | 10 years ago
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If this does turn out to be the guy, hope they throw the book at him. Jail time is appropriate for this sort of serial assault.

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LondonCalling | 10 years ago
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Though we don't know how the investigation was carried out, I'm glad there is at least an arrest. Let's not get too worked up and wait and see what happens.

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Angelfishsolo | 10 years ago
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I notice this P.O.S only picked on older cyclists. That coupled with the fact he needed to be in a car says all you need to know about him. He is a moron and a coward.
 14

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dp24 | 10 years ago
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So, by my reckoning, that should be three counts of assault occasioning ABH, and at least one of GBH.

I'll believe it when I see it.

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Arthur Scrimshaw replied to dp24 | 10 years ago
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dp24 wrote:

So, by my reckoning, that should be three counts of assault occasioning ABH, and at least one of GBH.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Quite, but, as we all know, because they were in a car that doesn't count. I'm going for 'Driving without reasonable consideration'? That's the one they use when a motorist splashes a pedestrian by driving through a puddle.

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billyman | 10 years ago
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update*

driver released and awarded 3 years free insurance and handed a golden catapult.

it really wouldn't surprise me.

( above comment is interned as humor)

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