‘NO-REMORSE’ CYCLIST IS FACING JAIL OVER 18MPH DEATH CRASH
This ‘wonderful woman who lived for her family’
GRIEVING Matthew Briggs paid tribute to his wife Kim last night, describing her as “this wonderful woman” who “lived for her children and her family”.
The 44-year-old told how he had to face the task of telling their two young children about the tragedy which had torn their lives apart.
He said in an emotional court statement: “How do you begin to quantify what the loss of Kim meant to me, our children, and her many friends?
“Kim lived life for her children and her family. She wanted to make everyone happy and get the most out of life. ‘Make every day count’ was Kim’s mantra.
“She was quick to smile, slow to judge, and even slower to anger. She will be equally missed by friends and colleagues alike. We were a very straightforward, happy London family.” He said they had been together for 26 years and they would soon have celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. He remembered their most cherished moments as family holidays in Scotland and when they shared a glass of wine at night. But he added: “Our world fell apart. I lost my wife and my best friend. “Our children lost their mother who always had their back. “I had to bring the children to hospital and tell them that mummy was probably going to die. My kids had to say goodbye to their mummy. “I am trying my very best to give these amazing children the life they deserve, with the emotional support they need. But sometimes the grief overwhelms me.” A CYCLIST was warned yesterday that he now faces jail after being convicted of “wanton and reckless driving” when he rode into a mother of two at nearly 20mph.
Judge Wendy Joseph QC told Charlie Alliston he had shown “not one iota of remorse” over the death of human resources executive Kim Briggs.
Alliston, 20, was riding an Olympic fixed-wheel track bike with no front brake when he ploughed into the 44-year-old as she crossed a busy central London street.
Although the Old Bailey jury cleared him of manslaughter, the charge he was found guilty of carries a maximum sentence of two years’ jail.
Catastrophic
Judge Joseph told Alliston’s barrister Mark Wyeth QC she did not want to “mislead him”, adding: “I have in mind a custodial sentence. He should not be under any illusions.”
After the verdict, Mrs Briggs’ devastated husband Matthew paid tribute to “this wonderful woman” who “lived for her children and her family”.
He called for a change in the law to protect pedestrians from cyclists who tear around public roads at terrifying speeds.
Mr Briggs, 44, who is also a cyclist, demanded a new offence of causing death or serious injury by dangerous or careless cycling. He said: “The current law is outdated and has not kept pace with the huge increase in the number of people cycling and the associated increased risk of collisions, nor the attitude of some cyclists.”
In the end prosecutors had to use the 1861 Offences Against the Person act to bring a charge of causing bodily harm by “wanton or furious driving”.
The jury threw out manslaughter but accepted the lesser charge after more than 12 hours of deliberation and a two-week trial.
Former cycle courier Alliston crashed into Mrs Briggs at about 18mph as he rode a Planet X fixedgear bicycle down Old Street, in February last year.
Mrs Briggs, from Lewisham, south London, had started a new job as head of HR at genealogy website findmypast.com and was crossing the street during a lunch break. She suffered catastrophic
injuries when her head clashed with the cyclist’s and died six days later. The court was told Alliston jumped up after the accident and shouted at Mrs Briggs who was lying injured on the ground.
Afterwards, he blamed her for the accident – accusing her of using her mobile phone – in a string of web posts.
He wrote on one forum: “It is a lesson to be learned on her behalf. I refuse to accept any responsibility in this. It’s not my fault people think they are invincible or have zero respect for cyclists.
“What makes it worse is that even when people were helping her, her phone was going off continuously with texts showing she was on it at the time.
“If you value your phone more than your life, maybe this is the type of wake-up call you need.”
Duncan Penny QC, prosecuting, said: “The bicycle was not equipped with a front brake and its design does not allow for the installation of a front brake.
“This was a bicycle designed to be ridden on a track. Without a front brake the bike could not be lawfully ridden on a public road.”
Alliston, of Bermondsey, south London, had denied both charges. He was bailed until sentencing on September 18.
The last high profile prosecution of a cyclist over a fatal accident led to Darryl Gittoes, 21, admitting the same charge as Alliston and being jailed for a year. Gittoes was riding a bike with no brakes and a deflated rear tyre when he hit Mary Evans, 73, in Hereford three years ago.
Duncan Dollimore, of Cycling UK, said: “Riding a fixed-wheel bicycle on busy roads without a front brake is illegal, stupid, and endangers other road users, especially pedestrians.”