The appalling driving record of a callous killer who dragged an ‘inspirational’ headteacher to his death beneath the wheels of a two-ton SUV has today been revealed.
asserted
who → drag → SUV
Simon Richardson, 35, faces a life sentence after being convicted of murdering Michael Mullins, 56, who was cycling home from Stretford Grammar School where he had been a 'brilliant' and 'transformative' leader for 17 years.
asserted
he → face → years
Instead of stopping after ploughing into him at a junction, the ‘coward’ pressed on 'regardless' for more than a mile at up to 60mph, inflicting fatal injuries on the married father-of-two, who had survived the initial impact.
asserted
who → stop → impact
Today a court heard that at the time of the tragedy on April 20, Richardson had five previous convictions for ignoring the rules of the road dating back to 2011.
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Richardson → hear → 2011
They included failing to stop when he crashed a car into a wall and fled the scene, driving while disqualified, and two drink-driving offences.
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he → include → scene
It can also now be revealed that Richardson was on bail when he mowed down Mr Mullins in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, despite having just been released from prison where he was held on remand on charges of assaulting an emergency worker.
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he → reveal → worker
A month earlier he received a community order for that offence, but he was still awaiting trial on separate allegations of affray, causing actual bodily harm and possessing cocaine.
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he → receive → cocaine
At the time he was sofa-surfing and ‘effectively homeless’, prosecutor Phil Barnes KC told Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.
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KC → surf → Manchester
Simon Richardson, 35, was convicted of headteacher Michael Mullins' murder
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Richardson → convict → murder
The dented Volvo, pictured moments after the crash, shows Simon Richardson behind the wheel, with the driver's window rolled down
Michael Mullins, 56, was cycling home from work at Stretford Grammar School when he was dragged underneath Simon Richardson's car for more than one mile
Richardson has a total of 28 previous offences and 11 court appearances dating back to when he was just 18.
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he → dent → 18
As well as driving offences, convictions include public disorder, battery, stalking and threatening to cause criminal damage, the court heard.
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court → include → damage
He faces a mandatory life sentence, with the judge, Mrs Justice Brunner, due to set the minimum term he must face later today.
asserted
he → face → term
Following the initial impact, instead of stopping, Richardson 'veered sharply and deliberately from side to side' to try to dislodge Mr Mullins from beneath the wheels of the Volvo XC90, his trial heard.
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trial → follow → XC90
The teacher was finally thrown clear when the car mounted a grass verge on a country lane before being driven over again by Richardson.
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car → throw → Richardson
Leaving Mr Mullins dying at the roadside, he stopped to fill his dented car up with fuel and collect weight-loss medication for his cousin, who was in the passenger seat.
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who → leave → seat
Witnesses who were alerted by a 'trail of blood' in the road went to help Mr Mullins, who was still breathing.
But he was pronounced dead at the scene from catastrophic injuries at 6.50pm, about 40 minutes after he was knocked off his bike.
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he → alert → bike
Richardson switched the Volvo for a van, but was arrested the next day following a brief pursuit after his cousin contacted police.
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cousin → switch → police
On Friday a jury convicted Richardson of murder in one of the first cases of its kind.
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jury → convict → kind
Mr Mullins, pictured with his children, was treated by paramedics but was declared dead at the roadside 40 minutes after the collision, jurors were told
A hooded Richardson caught on CCTV filling up with fuel shortly after leaving Mr Mullins dying by the roadside
Paying tribute afterwards, married father-of-two Mr Mullins' family described him as 'an anchor', 'the perfect dad' and 'our everything' by his family.
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family → picture → family
Shortly after 6pm on April 20, Mr Mullins – who is said to have been fit – was riding the 19-mile journey to his home near Northwich, Cheshire, when he was knocked off his bike by Richardson.
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he → say → Richardson
The stricken headteacher was found on a grass verge 1.3 miles away in Lymm, Cheshire, where Andrew Besant-Roberts was first to the scene, alerted by a 'trail of blood... weaving' along the road for 200 yards.
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Roberts → find → yards
'Then I saw a cyclist on a grass verge who appeared to be in a position similar to the recovery position,' he told the court.
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he → see → court
He was laid on his side unconscious, but I could see he was still breathing.'
Mr Besant-Roberts called 999, but despite carrying out chest compressions and then being helped by a paramedic who arrived shortly after, Mr Mullins was declared dead at the scene.
uncertain
Mullins → lay → scene
Analysis of his Apple watch showed that a heartbeat was still being recorded when he was flung out from under the car.
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he → show → car
Doctors confirmed that he survived the initial impact but suffered fatal injuries caused when Richardson continued to drive with him beneath the car.
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Richardson → confirm → car
Richardson's cousin, Gabrielle Debotte, 27, who was in the front passenger seat, told the court that the incident left her 'shocked' and 'scared'.
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incident → tell → her
She said that in the moments prior to the collision she had told him to 'slow down', but he smirked and said: 'I'm a professional driver.'
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I → say → him
Richardson caught on camera overtaking a car shortly before he hit Mr Mullins
An image from dashcam footage shown to jurors of a police pursuit of the defendant driving a silver Ford Transit van in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, the following day
As the Volvo approached a junction she desperately shouted 'bike' three times because she noticed Richardson 'wasn't stopping', she added.
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she → catch → bike
After hitting Mr Mullins she said Richardson drove off in an 'erratic' manner as 'moaning' sounds could be heard from beneath the vehicle.
uncertain
sounds → hit → vehicle
At one point Richardson stopped and attempted to pull Mr Mullins free before getting back behind the wheel and speeding off again, she said, 'veering' from side to side.
asserted
she → stop → side
Richardson did not give evidence in his own defence.
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Richardson → give → defence
But cross-examining Ms Debotte, Jaime Hamilton KC, defending, said Richardson denied getting out of the vehicle or trying to pull Mr Mullins clear.
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Richardson → cros → Mullins
However, she denied changing her account to avoid getting 'in trouble' herself.
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she → deny → trouble
She put her failure to call 999 that evening down to 'shock' and having 'never been' in a situation like that.
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She → put → that
Ms Debotte 'broke down' at the nursery where she worked the next day and told staff what had happened before going to police, jurors heard.
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jurors → break → police
After the verdict, Mr Mullins' family told how his death has left them 'torn apart' and gave a series of glowing tributes.
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death → tell → tributes
His wife said: 'My past, present and future have been brutally and callously torn apart.
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past → say → ?
There is no one quite like him with his myriad of unique qualities that combined to make him mean so much to so many people.
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him → be → people
Newly-released picture of Michael Mullins, issued by his family after trial verdict
Mr Mullins' heartbroken widow said her life has been 'torn apart' while his children told how he would support and encourage them
Mr
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he → release → them
Mullins's grown-up children described him as a kindly father who would encourage them with sport and music, and support them into adulthood.
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who → grow → adulthood
…and 13 more, not listed.
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