Headteacher Dragged 1.3 Miles After Being Hit by Car, Court Hears

A headteacher was struck by a car and dragged for more than a mile before being left on a grass verge, a court has been told. Simon Richardson stands accused of hitting 56-year-old Michael Mullins, who was cycling home from his job at Stretford Grammar School on April 20.

Prosecutors at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court allege that Richardson did not stop his vehicle but instead accelerated, dragging Mullins for 1.3 miles. Witnesses described seeing Richardson's black Volvo XC90 speeding toward the junction of Dunham Road and Warburton Lane in Trafford.

Richardson denies charges of murder and the alternative charges of manslaughter and dangerous driving. On Monday, the Crown Prosecution Service released a 17-second video clip, previously shown to the jury, depicting Richardson's Volvo overtaking another vehicle on Dunham Road. Dashcam footage from a car following Richardson appears to show him maneuvering past two vehicles before entering the opposing lane.

The CPS also presented an image of Richardson's Volvo, reportedly taken by an ANPR camera shortly after the collision, with Richardson in the driver's seat. The photograph appears to show a dent on the front right section of the car's bonnet, and Richardson's driver-side window was fully down.

During the trial, Dr. Terrence McGloughlin, a consultant in emergency medicine, testified. He stated his opinion that Mr. Mullins survived the initial impact. When questioned about whether Mullins was unconscious throughout the dragging, Dr. McGloughlin responded that he could not determine consciousness based on the provided evidence. Regarding the cause of traumatic cardiac arrest, Dr. McGloughlin cited a combination of factors, including multiple traumatic injuries, respiratory failure, and blood loss leading to hypovolemic shock. Evidence from an Apple Watch worn by Mullins, which continued to record his heart rate after he was separated from the vehicle, indicated he was still physiologically alive, the doctor noted.

However, during cross-examination by defense counsel Jaime Hamilton KC, the accuracy of the Apple Watch data was questioned. Dr. McGloughlin conceded that data indicating movement after Mr. Mullins had been pronounced dead could be due to the movement of his wrist. He also accepted that there was no heart rate recorded after 6:50 p.m., a point Mr. Hamilton used to argue the data could not be accurate. Dr. McGloughlin stated it was his understanding that the watch had been removed after 6:50 p.m.

Dr. Chaz Dixon, an expert in navigation and GPS technology, also provided evidence. He explained how GPS tracks journeys and discussed the movement of a phone believed to be in the Volvo at the time of the incident. He also analyzed the journey data from Mr. Mullins's Apple Watch, which showed him leaving Stretford Grammar School and traveling through several areas before reaching Lymm. Dr. Dixon highlighted a 28-second gap in the watch's data, describing it as unusual and suggesting it was likely a direct result of the collision. He confirmed that the data was consistent with the phone and watch being together at a junction before parting ways.

Richardson, whose address is listed as no fixed abode but formerly of Epsom Avenue in Sale, denies murder, manslaughter, and dangerous driving. The trial is ongoing.