THE highly respected Warrington Cycle Campaign has welcomed moves to re-open the criminal case against a motorist involved in a tragic crash resulting in the death of a cyclist.
Campaign chairman Chris Mayes has accused the Crown Prosecution Service of “dropping the case as if it was a trivial parking offence.”
Sharon Corless, a 36-year-old mother of three from Fearnhead, was killed in September 2008 after being involved in a collision with a 4X4 on Kingsway South.
Her husband, Peter, who was cycling with her at the time, was seriously injured.
The woman motorist involved was subsequently charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
But the CPS later dropped the charges and offered no evidence against the driver.
Now an inquest into Mrs Corless’s death has been adjourned because the coroner has requested that the decision to drop the criminal case be reviewed.
The Warrington Cycle Campaign has extended sympathy to the Corless family – and welcomed the coroner’s call.
Mr Mayes said: “This case indicates a real worrying detachment on the part of the CPS. Someone has been killed on our roads and the CPS doesn’t seem to care.
“They dropped the case as if it was a trivial parking offence even though a family has been robbed of its heart.”
He said he hoped the actions of the coroner would lead to a “satisfactory resolution” of the tragic case.”
The case was dropped by the CPS because medical experts concluded the woman driver was likely to have been unconscious at the time of the crash.
She was thought to have suffered a blackout or fainted while driving.
Warrington Cycle Campaign has acquired a national reputation for its campaign for safer cycling – particularly its views on cycle lanes.
THE highly respected Warrington Cycle Campaign has welcomed moves to
re-open the criminal case against a motorist involved in a tragic crash
resulting in the death of a cyclist.
Cycle group hits out over death crash
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
4 Comments
It is somewhat worrying when “campaigners” involve themselves in such a way with the legal process. I rather think that had a cyclist not have been involved, they would not be interested. My thoughts on this case would tend to be that if the driver was unconsious at the time, then the matter to be considered would not be prosecution in the Courts, but her fitness, on medical grounds, to have a driving licence at all. In which case that would be more appropriately dealt with by a DVLA medical review board.
It was quite a bizzare defence to the charges. I think the CPs should have looked in depth at this defence, and took in all accounts of the case, especially records of the mobile phone that had been used prior to the fatal accident. A re trial is the best option for all concerned so some closure can be brought to these tragic circumstances
The ‘Campaign’ probably and quite rightly, became involved because there is a long history of death and injury to cyclists caused by motorists, being brushed under the carpet.
From how I read this report and despite the headlines, it’s the coroner that’s suggesting that the case be reviewed not the cycling campaigners. I think most people were taken aback with the defence’s explanation as virtually any road involved in a road accident could claim the same.