Motorist found guilty of murdering cyclist he dragged under car

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 30 Oct, 15:46 · Archive

Simon Richardson was convicted of murder after hitting and dragging cyclist Michael Mullins, a headteacher, for over a mile.

Simon Richardson, a 35-year-old former mechanic, has been found guilty of murder after hitting and dragging cyclist Michael Mullins, a 56-year-old headteacher, for over a mile. Mullins was cycling home from school in April when he was struck by Richardson's car. Family members watched from the public gallery as the guilty verdict was delivered at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court following a two-week trial.

The breakthrough in the investigation came when Gabrielle Debotte, 27, a children's nursery worker and Richardson's cousin, approached her manager in what was described as a hysterical state. She revealed that she had been a passenger in Richardson's car and witnessed the incident. Debotte subsequently gave evidence to police at Stretford Police Station, identifying her cousin as the driver.

Richardson had been released from prison less than a month before the incident. He had served 47 days on remand awaiting sentence for stalking, harassment, threats to damage property and assaulting an emergency worker, and was freed on 26 March after being sentenced to a community order. At the time of the killing, he was staying at various addresses, including with Debotte and her father in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.

How it is being reported

• How a passenger's confession helped convict her cousin of murderSimon Richardson hit cyclist Michael Mullins with his car and dragged him along for over a mile.BBC Manchester · 30 Oct, 15:13
• 'A gap has been left in our hearts' Motorist who mowed down cyclist and dragged him under car guilty of murderHeadteacher Michael Mullins was cycling home from school when he was struck by Simon Richardson’s car and dragged for more than a mile. Family members in the public gallery were in tears as Richardson was found guilty of murder.Manchester World · 30 Oct, 13:47

In this story: Simon Richardson · Michael Mullins · Gabrielle Debotte · Manchester · Minshull Street Crown Court

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log