Arabic version: إدانة سائق بقتل مدير مدرسة

According to BBC News, Simon Richardson has been found guilty of murdering Michael Mullins, a head teacher who was dragged to his death after being trapped beneath a car in Greater Manchester. Richardson, 35, was also convicted of dangerous driving and is due to be sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Monday.

Mr Mullins, 56, was cycling home from work on the evening of 20 April when Richardson’s Volvo collided with him in Warburton. The court heard that Richardson drove through “give way” markings at a junction and struck Mr Mullins, who went underneath the vehicle.

Prosecutors said Richardson left the collision scene, later stopping on a country lane and twice getting out in attempts to pull the injured cyclist free. He then drove on, the jury was told, before mounting a grass verge to dislodge Mr Mullins and reversing over him, causing crushing chest injuries. A motorcyclist later followed a trail of blood and found Mr Mullins barely breathing on a grass verge in Lymm, Cheshire. He was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Richardson denied murder, saying he did not realise Mr Mullins was under his car and that he had not got out to try to free him. His cousin, Gabrielle Debotte, who was in the front passenger seat, had previously told the court that they heard moaning after the collision and that Richardson said: “He is under the car.”

There were shouts of “Yes!” and crying from the public gallery when the verdict was returned. Mrs Justice Brunner KC told Richardson that murder carries one sentence, life imprisonment, and thanked the jury for a task she said could not have been easy. Mr Mullins was head teacher of Stretford Grammar School in Trafford.