Another Crown Prosecution Service scandal

Yet another cyclist is run down from behind and killed by a driver, who is exonerated from all blame because the cyclist was wearing dark clothing and not wearing a helmet.

A WHALEY Bridge motorist involved in a fatal collision with a cyclist told an inquest she did not see the bike before the accident. Sarah Wilks said she was driving a BMW X3 along the A6 Chapel bypass, near Buxworth, at about 70mph before the collision.

Rider Nigel Hawtin, 52, of Bagshawe Avenue, Chapel, died at the scene from head injuries including a major skull fracture. He was not wearing a helmet.

Mrs Wilks was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving - but the Crown Prosecution Service later decided not to take court action. Collision investigator Pc Peter Matthewman said: "He was killed as a result of Sarah Wilks not seeing him in time. The lack of street lighting, a lack of reflective clothing on the cyclist and the adverse weather conditions all combined to reduce visibility of him."

If Wilks’s BMW had been fitted with a black box we would have known whether or not her estimate of ‘about 70 mph’ was accurate. But the Blair and Brown governments always preferred to suck up to the car lobby, which has long resisted such a simple and inexpensive addition to all new cars.

Irrespective of the true speed, Wilks was by definition driving recklessly and inattentively.