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.
asserted
who → mow → murder
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.
asserted
he → drive → car
Mr Mullins became entangled in the suspension of the 4×4 vehicle as Richardson drove on, a trial heard.
asserted
trial → become → vehicle
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.
asserted
defendant → fix → Monday
Sentencing Richardson, the judge told him he had shown an “astonishing degree of disregard for human life”.
asserted
he → sentence → 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.
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who → say → actions
“You did that because you decided escaping from the scene of an accident was more important than a human life.”
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escaping → do → life
Prosecutors said the defendant was aware the trapped cyclist was inches below his feet shortly after the collision in Paddock Lane, Warburton.
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cyclist → say → Lane
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.
asserted
he → tell → 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”.
asserted
he → say → what
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.
asserted
he → attempt → verge
His victim was finally released, but he was driven over as Richardson reversed and drove away.
asserted
Richardson → release → ?
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.
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court → follow → verge
Richardson was arrested the next day.
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Richardson → arrest → ?
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.
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he → deny → him
Jurors returned a guilty verdict on Friday after a trial lasting more than two weeks.
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Jurors → return → weeks
He was also found guilty of a separate allegation of dangerous driving on April 21, after a police pursuit before he was arrested.
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he → find → pursuit
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.
asserted
it → say → 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.
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present → say → purpose
“The fact that Michael had to endure such a violent and painful death is an open wound that refuses to heal.
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that → endure → death
Richardson kept his head down in the dock as the statements were read out in front of a packed public gallery.
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statements → keep → 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.
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who → act → years
Describing him as an inspirational leader, she said: “He has left a void and a gulf at every level of our school.”
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He → describe → 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.
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Richardson → tell → 2013
In 2023, he was convicted of driving without a licence and insurance.
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he → convict → licence
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.
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Richardson → say → 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.”
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he → say → 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.
asserted
he → say → record
She said: “You took away a life and in doing so you caused devastation to a family and a community.
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you → say → family
“I find that you would be a danger to other road users indefinitely.
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you → find → users
“I make that finding for these reasons.
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I → make → reasons
You deliberately used your car as a weapon over a prolonged period.
asserted
You → use → period
“You have repeated convictions for a range of serious driving offences over a 15-year period.
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You → have → period
“This demonstrates the complete contempt you have for the law.”
asserted
you → demonstrate → 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.”
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you → say → driving
The judge said she did not believe Richardson was remorseful for what he had done.
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he → say → what
She said: “You are a man who has had his own self interests at heart throughout your offending and the trial.”
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who → say → offending
Mrs Justice Brunner imposed a concurrent sentence of 18 months for dangerous driving.
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Brunner → impose → driving
A member of the public gallery clapped as she handed down her sentence.
asserted
she → clap → sentence
She said Richardson had limited leeway in the way of mitigation, but accepted he did not “deliberately kill someone to cover your tracks”.
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he → say → tracks
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
