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http://road.cc/content/news/133757-road-rage-driver-who-left-cyclist-brain-damaged-found-guilty-jury
A motorist who denied being subject to “road rage” when his car struck a cyclist, leaving the victim with serious head injuries from which he may never recover and in a wheelchair, has been convicted by a jury of causing serious injury through dangerous driving.
Former soldier Michael Gledhill, aged 23, was convicted of the offence this afternoon at Leeds Crown Court.
He had initially maintained that the car he was driving made no contact with the bike that 69-year-old John Radford was riding, but accepted that was the case after being presented with scientific evidence.
The court had heard that Gledhill was driving on the A616 to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, where his girlfriend was due to undergo a scan on his second child, when he became involved in an altercation with Mr Radford in July last year.
The driver admitted sounding his horn at the cyclist, whom he claimed was “weaving” across the road, saying, “I beeped my horn so he knew I was there so I could try and get around him,” according to a report of the trial in the Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
He admitted that he had exchanged words with the cyclist but couldn’t recall exactly what was said, and that it involved “generally name-calling, probably some swearing.”
Gledhill, at the time a Lance Corporal in the Yorkshire Regiment who was awaiting his discharge from the army, insisted he had not driven at Mr Radford on purpose in an attempt to frighten him.
Angry
But on cross-examination by prosecuting counsel Sam Andrews, he concurred that the victim only became angry after he had sounded his horn.
Mr Andrews put it to him: “At that minute, your thought was giving this man stick wasn’t it?” said Mr Andrews.
Gledhill replied, “Yes.”
He was then asked how traces of paint from the bumper of his car were found on Mr Radford’s bike and replied, “I don’t know.”
A motorist who denied being subject to “road rage” when his car struck a cyclist, leaving the victim with serious head injuries from which he may never recover and in a wheelchair, has been convicted by a jury of causing serious injury through dangerous driving.
Former soldier Michael Gledhill, aged 23, was convicted of the offence this afternoon at Leeds Crown Court.
He had initially maintained that the car he was driving made no contact with the bike that 69-year-old John Radford was riding, but accepted that was the case after being presented with scientific evidence.
The court had heard that Gledhill was driving on the A616 to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, where his girlfriend was due to undergo a scan on his second child, when he became involved in an altercation with Mr Radford in July last year.
The driver admitted sounding his horn at the cyclist, whom he claimed was “weaving” across the road, saying, “I beeped my horn so he knew I was there so I could try and get around him,” according to a report of the trial in the Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
He admitted that he had exchanged words with the cyclist but couldn’t recall exactly what was said, and that it involved “generally name-calling, probably some swearing.”
Gledhill, at the time a Lance Corporal in the Yorkshire Regiment who was awaiting his discharge from the army, insisted he had not driven at Mr Radford on purpose in an attempt to frighten him.
Angry
But on cross-examination by prosecuting counsel Sam Andrews, he concurred that the victim only became angry after he had sounded his horn.
Mr Andrews put it to him: “At that minute, your thought was giving this man stick wasn’t it?” said Mr Andrews.
Gledhill replied, “Yes.”
He was then asked how traces of paint from the bumper of his car were found on Mr Radford’s bike and replied, “I don’t know.”
