Widower calls for new law on killer cyclists

♦ Laws used to prosecute dangerous cyclists must be updated urgently, a man who lost his wife in an incident involving a bicycle has said.

Matthew Briggs said the offence of causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving, drawn up in 1861, was “hopelessly out of date” after cases of police having to use it, in the absence of anything better, doubled in 2016.

Charlie Alliston, 20, was jailed for 18 months after he knocked over and killed Kim Briggs as he sped through London on a bike with no front brakes.

Mr Briggs hopes a Government review will result in the introduction of an offence of causing death or injury by dangerous or careless cycling.

He said: “I don’t blame the police, but they had to go back to 1861 to scrabble around in a box of old laws, when it’s very clear this is an omission and we need the law to catch up.”

Ministry of Justice figures revealed there were eight convictions for causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving in 2016, up from four in 2015 and three in 2014.

The Government has said it will look into whether cyclists should be subject to legislation similar to that which is applied to motorists. Ministers are taking independent legal advice on the introduction of a new offence and hope to reach a decision this year.