Family of John Radford face further wait for funeral

The family of cycle campaigner John Radford face a further delay for a funeral after the lawyer for the driver who hit him requested the coroner not release his body.

Michael Gledhill was found guilty of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after hitting Radford on July 31 last year.

John Radford spent over a year in hospital with severe brain damage until he was allowed to go home. He died shortly afterwards.

After his death, West Yorkshire police referred Mr Radford's case to the Attorney General to see if further charges could be brought against Gledhill.

The Huddersfield Examiner's Neil Atkinson reports Leeds Crown Court heard that the coroner was proposing to release Mr Radford’s body.

Stephen Grattage representing Gledhill, who was not at court, said that might cause problems for the defence.

Judge Christopher Batty was told a post mortem had been carried out but the defence had not had the opportunity for anything they needed to be considered.

Judge Batty said he hoped things could be done quickly and if the defence were unable to carry out their own investigations that the coroner reconsider his position.

John Radford was chairman of Huddersfield CTC and a Yorkshire regional representative on the CTC’s national council.

He is credited with spearheading the CTC's Road Justice campaign in West Yorkshire by meeting with his PCC, Mark Burns-Williamson, to deliver the Road Justice report.

Mr Radford, who was 69 at the time, was on his way home from a ride when was knocked off his bike after an altercation with Gledhill, 23.

The collision left him with severe brain injuries from which he never recovered.

A jury at Leeds Crown Court found Gledhill guilty of causing serious injury through dangerous driving

John Radford died during the night of November 4 with wife Pat and daughters Emma and Helen by his bedside.

Authorities are still waiting to hear from the Attorney General whether further charges can be laid against Gledhill. He was due to be sentenced on November 25, but that has been deferred pending the Attorney General's decision.