Cyclist on trial for road death blamed pedestrian
A CYCLIST involved in a crash with a pedestrian who later died has blamed his victim, saying people have “zero respect” for those riding bikes, a court has heard.
In a legal first, Charlie Alliston, who was aged 18 at the time of the accident, faces a charge of manslaughter.
He was said to be going nearly 20mph when he ploughed into Kim Briggs, 44, a mother-of-two, as she crossed a busy London road during her lunch hour on Feb 12 last year. Mr Alliston had been riding a fixed wheel track bicycle with no front brake, which is illegal on British roads.
He allegedly shouted twice to her to “get out of the way” as he travelled along Old Street, east London. Mrs Briggs, an HR consultant from Lewisham, south London, suffered “catastrophic” head injuries, including two skull fractures, and died a week later.
A jury at the Old Bailey was told that after seeing a newspaper report about the incident, Mr Alliston posted a comment online claiming his victim had ignored his warnings. He wrote: “I feel bad due to the seriousness of her injuries but I can put my hand up and say this is not my fault.”
On an internet forum he described how their heads collided and hers “ricocheted” into his.
He wrote: “It is a pretty serious incident so I won’t bother saying she deserved it. It was her fault but she did not deserve it.”
He went on to claim Mrs Briggs had been on her mobile phone at the time of the accident. He complained: “Everyone is quick to judge and help the socalled victim but not the other person in the situation. It all happened so fast and even at a slow speed there was nothing I could do. I just wish people would stop making judgments.
“People either think they are invincible or have zero respect for cyclists.”
Jurors at the Old Bailey were shown CCTV video of the collision as Mrs Briggs’ widower Matthew looked on from the public gallery.
The defendant had been riding a black Planetx carbon frame fixed rear pedal cycle, which was more commonly seen racing at the Olympics Velodrome, jurors were told.
Racing bikes known as “fixies” used by the likes of Sir Chris Hoy and Laura Trott, can only legally be taken on to the streets if they are fitted with a front brake, jurors were told.
Duncan Penny QC, prosecuting, said if Mr Alliston had been riding a bike with proper brakes, he would have been able to avoid the collision. He said: “The Crown suggests that riding a fixed wheel bicycle without a front brake … was dangerous.”
Mr Alliston, now 20, from Bermondsey, south London, denies manslaughter and causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving.
The trial continues.