Spectator killed when cycle racer crashed into her
A WOMAN died after she was hurled into a tree by a cycle race competitor as an alleged safety marshal ‘snoozed’ on a crash mat, a court was told yesterday.
Judith Garrett, 29, was watching her boyfriend compete in the downhill mountain bike race as cyclists hit up to 30mph, when another rider lost control and struck her, jurors heard.
She received a ‘devastating’ brain injury and a fractured skull at the event near Llangollen in North Wales.
Miss Garrett was flown to hospital by helicopter, but died the following afternoon.
Yesterday, Denbighshire county council began a prosecution alleging safety breaches against the industry body British Cycling, which administers cycling events, race organiser Michael Marsden, 40, and alleged marshal Kevin Duckworth, 41.
James Hill, QC, prosecuting, said Duckworth had been ‘snoozing’ on a crash mat next to a stile by the third of three jumps on the ‘ challenging’ 2km course on August 31, 2014.
He claimed the tragedy had been ‘entirely avoidable’, adding: ‘ We don’t blame Mr Duckworth for causing the accident. Perhaps his snoozing was symptomatic of the way this event was being run.’
Mr Hill told the trial at Mold Crown Court that on taking the first jump, riders had to turn right to avoid a tree with a large crash mat attached to it.
He added: ‘Unfortunately, the area on either side of the tree hadn’t been recognised as a hazardous area. ‘There was no exclusion zone. ‘ We say that if people had stopped to think, there was an inevitability that spectators would be drawn to this area of the course – the most exciting part of the course arguably. That’s a matter that ought to have been borne in mind when risk assessments were considered.
‘There had been no thought at all to spectator safety either by Mr Marsden or British Cycling.’
He said Miss Garrett, a laboratory quality control officer from Northumberland, had been watching her boyfriend Peter Walton in action and walked up to the area of the three jumps.
Mr Hill said experienced rider Andrew Cody hit the first jump but lost control.
He added: ‘He and the bike were still travelling at great speed. He flew head first into Miss Garrett.’ She was knocked backwards into a tree. The prosecutor said there was nothing Mr Cody could have done and Miss Garrett had no time to react.
Mr Hill said Marsden claimed he had done nothing wrong, and the accusations were ‘ simply people being wise after the event’.
Duckworth had at the time been ‘snoozing’ near the third jump, the prosecutor said, describing this as a ‘prime example of the casual attitude that appears to have marked this particular event’.
Mr Hill said that as the governing body, British Cycling – formerly The British Cycling Federation – should have been more involved, adding: ‘British Cycling hasn’t devoted enough time or effort to consider safety aspects.’
British Cycling denies failing to ensure that spectators, including Miss Garrett, were not exposed to risk. The organisation maintained that the event was under the jurisdiction of Welsh Cycling.
Marsden, of Lancaster, pleads not guilty to failing to conduct the event in a manner in which spectators weren’t exposed to risks.
Duckworth, of Accrington, Lancashire, denies failing to take reasonable care to ensure the health and safety of people at the event.
The trial continues.