Motorist who dragged cyclist under car for more than a mile jailed for murder

A motorist who mowed down a cyclist and dragged him under his car for more than a mile has been jailed for at least 25 years for his murder.

Headteacher Michael Mullins, 56, was travelling home from Stretford Grammar School in Manchester in the early evening of April 20 when he was hit by a Volvo XC90 driven by Simon Richardson.

Richardson, 35, drove straight through give-way markers at a junction in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, and into the path of father-of-two Mr Mullins, who fell on to his bonnet and windscreen before he was drawn under the car.

Mr Mullins became entangled in the suspension of the 4×4 vehicle as Richardson drove on, a trial heard.

The defendant, of no fixed address, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years by Judge Mrs Justice Brunner KC at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on Monday.

Sentencing Richardson, the judge told him he had shown an “astonishing degree of disregard for human life”.

She said: “For every moment you carried on, you were knowingly using your heavy vehicle to cause serious injury to a man who was trapped, injured and completely helpless as a result of your actions.

“You did that because you decided escaping from the scene of an accident was more important than a human life.”

Prosecutors said the defendant was aware the trapped cyclist was inches below his feet shortly after the collision in Paddock Lane, Warburton.

Richardson’s front seat passenger, his cousin Gabrielle Debotte, told the trial that both heard “moaning” from outside as he drove from the collision scene.

The Crown said Richardson drove to a secluded farm track in Wet Gate Lane, Lymm, 1.3 miles from Paddock Lane, in a bid to dislodge Mr Mullins, who was “the single, solid piece of evidence of what he was driving away from”.

He twice attempted to pull Mr Mullins out before he returned to the car and veered sharply and deliberately from side to side before he mounted a grass verge.

His victim was finally released, but he was driven over as Richardson reversed and drove away.

A motorcyclist followed a trail of blood from Paddock Lane and discovered Mr Mullins alone and barely breathing on the grass verge, the court heard.

Emergency services attended but were unable to save Mr Mullins, from Northwich, Cheshire, who died from multiple injuries.

Richardson was arrested the next day.

He denied murder, claiming he did not realise Mr Mullins was underneath his car and said he did not get out of his vehicle in a bid to free him.

Jurors returned a guilty verdict on Friday after a trial lasting more than two weeks.

He was also found guilty of a separate allegation of dangerous driving on April 21, after a police pursuit before he was arrested.

In a victim impact statement to the court at the sentencing hearing, the victim’s wife of 27 years Sarah Mullins said her husband was her “safety net” as she spoke of the “all-consuming lethargy that makes it feel difficult to put one foot in front of another” since his death.

She said: “My past, present and future have been brutally and callously torn apart, my present is empty and often seems to be without purpose.

“The fact that Michael had to endure such a violent and painful death is an open wound that refuses to heal.

“I am, we are, completely adrift and bereft without our anchor, Michael Mullins.”

Richardson kept his head down in the dock as the statements were read out in front of a packed public gallery.

Elizabeth Baxter, the acting head teacher at Stretford Grammar School, said it was an “honour and a privilege” to work alongside Mr Mullins, who led the school for 17 years.

Describing him as an inspirational leader, she said: “He has left a void and a gulf at every level of our school.”

Prosecution counsel Phil Barnes KC told the court Richardson had previous convictions for 28 offences, with a “significant history” of driving-related crimes including careless driving and failure to stop or report an accident in 2011, driving with excess alcohol and driving whilst disqualified in 2012 and driving whilst disqualified and uninsured in 2013.

In 2023, he was convicted of driving without a licence and insurance.

In mitigation, defence barrister Jaime Hamilton KC said the absence of premeditation was a “significant feature” in the case, and that Richardson had not intended to use his vehicle as a weapon.

He said: “This defendant did accept that his actions did lead to the death of Mr Mullins and through me, he expresses his remorse.”

The judge said Richardson, who looked straight ahead as he was sentenced, would face a whole-life disqualification from driving as he was a driver with an “appalling” record.

She said: “You took away a life and in doing so you caused devastation to a family and a community.

“I find that you would be a danger to other road users indefinitely.

“I make that finding for these reasons. You deliberately used your car as a weapon over a prolonged period.

“You have repeated convictions for a range of serious driving offences over a 15-year period.

“This demonstrates the complete contempt you have for the law.”

The judge also said Richardson drove dangerously the day after the murder, at a time when “you knew you had seriously injured or killed a man with your driving.”

The judge said she did not believe Richardson was remorseful for what he had done.

She said: “You are a man who has had his own self interests at heart throughout your offending and the trial.”

Mrs Justice Brunner imposed a concurrent sentence of 18 months for dangerous driving.

A member of the public gallery clapped as she handed down her sentence.

She said Richardson had limited leeway in the way of mitigation, but accepted he did not “deliberately kill someone to cover your tracks”.

She said the crime was aggravated by his persistence and Mr Mullins’ vulnerability, and his motivation after the incident.

Richardson was also on bail at the time of the murder for offences including affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The judge said: “You heard (Mr Mullins) moaning for many minutes (under the car) and I am sure you knew he was alive and thought he was conscious.

“You knew that you were dragging a man who you believed was conscious against an abrasive road surface for four and a half minutes.

“You performed manoeuvres you must have known would have caused further injuries.”