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Coach driver jailed for collision that killed Karla RomanJustice (Lonpicman, Wikimedia Commons)

Coach driver jailed for collision that killed Karla Roman

Judge says it is not up to motorists to decide whether to respect advance stop lines
by Alex Bowden
Fri, Sep 21, 2018 14:59
11

The coach driver who killed London cyclist Karla Roman when he turned left across her path has been jailed for 15 months for causing her death by careless driving, reports the London Evening Standard. The court heard that Barry Northcott, who denied the charges, only learnt that he had run her over when a passenger told him what had happened.

Roman, aged 32 and originally from Brazil, died from "catastrophic injuries" following the collision on Whitechapel Road on February 6, 2017.

She had been riding ahead of Northcott’s coach and would have been visible for 16 seconds, the jury heard.

CCTV footage revealed that Northcott illegally entered an advanced stop line – also known as a ‘bike box’ – at a junction. When interviewed by police, he admitted that he did this regularly to avoid being “swarmed by cyclists.”

Prosecutor Harpreet Sandu said: "The defendant began a left-hand turn and into the path that Karla Roman was on, he did not see her in the mirrors as he turned because he was not paying attention.

"He did not see her in the mirrors as he continued to turn as he was not paying attention, and when he made that left-hand turn into her path, his coach collided with her and ended up dragging her with her bike under the wheels of the coach."

Sentencing, Judge Christopher Kinch QC said: "It may be frustrating to see cyclists – swarming or otherwise – pulling in front at junctions.

"But the box is the device placed there to protect vulnerable cyclists from the consequences of not being seen as traffic pulls away.

"Motorists simply have to accept that, and it is not open to them to decide when and where they may ignore that rule."

Following the conviction, Roman’s family echoed the judge’s words, saying: "We feel Karla was let down by the driver of the coach when he disregarded the cycle box, which resulted in this fatal incident. We would appeal to any drivers reading this to think about your actions and respect the cycle box."

Northcott’s barrister, Harry Bentley, said the coach driver was "desperately sorry" for Roman's death “and at times he has considered ending his own life because of it."

As well as the jail sentence, Northcott was banned from driving for five years and 30 weeks.

Karla Roman
advanced stop lines
Barry Northcott
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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11 comments

Avatar
Exup | 6 years ago
2 likes

Daily I see cars & buses in cycle only boxes.

It should be policed better, but is likley seen as a minor offence and a blind eye is thus turned.

Cyclists have few supporters on the road.

 

Avatar
1750nick | 6 years ago
2 likes

Why don't we (the cycling community) / road.cc start some sort of online register of this sort of thing - to list in particular offending company names? I for one would look at this list - and if there was an offending company on there such as this - I would go elsewhere and choose another company for what ever I was looking for (coach firm/builders...etc). If everyone done this - it could have both a very positive and substantial impact to these firms particularly when they start loosing business..............

Avatar
ChairRDRF | 6 years ago
2 likes

Worth mentioning that half of the sentence will be on licence.

Also, even with that, this is an unusually HIGH sentence for a death by careless driving. And don't foget the cases where motorist friendly juries don't convict.

And people like West Midlands Police Road Harm Reduction Team and the Met's Cycle Safety Team do enforce ASLs with charges getting 3 penalty point + fine .

Avatar
brooksby | 6 years ago
4 likes

Quote:

"But the box is the device placed there to protect vulnerable cyclists from the consequences of not being seen as traffic pulls away.

"Motorists simply have to accept that, and it is not open to them to decide when and where they may ignore that rule."

I suppose, at least we got this out of a genuine judge.

Maybe have it laminated and pinned to junctions and traffic lights around the country...?

Avatar
burtthebike replied to brooksby | 6 years ago
3 likes

brooksby wrote:

Quote:

"But the box is the device placed there to protect vulnerable cyclists from the consequences of not being seen as traffic pulls away.

"Motorists simply have to accept that, and it is not open to them to decide when and where they may ignore that rule."

I suppose, at least we got this out of a genuine judge.

Maybe have it laminated and pinned to junctions and traffic lights around the country...?

and nailed to the heads of drivers?

Avatar
brooksby replied to burtthebike | 6 years ago
1 like

burtthebike wrote:

brooksby wrote:

Quote:

"But the box is the device placed there to protect vulnerable cyclists from the consequences of not being seen as traffic pulls away.

"Motorists simply have to accept that, and it is not open to them to decide when and where they may ignore that rule."

I suppose, at least we got this out of a genuine judge.

Maybe have it laminated and pinned to junctions and traffic lights around the country...?

and nailed to the heads of drivers?

That would work too...

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
3 likes

15 months, what an utterly disgusting sentence. How is this not dangerous driving, how is this cunt not doing at least 10 years. I hope he does kill himself, zero chance of him ever killing another!

Avatar
grumpyoldcyclist | 6 years ago
8 likes

RIP Karla

 

I thought the maximum sentence for causing death by careless driving was five years, with consideration given for an early guilty plea. The driver did not acknowledge his guilt at any point, so why not five years?

I appreciate it won't bring back Karla, but I fail to see why he didn't get the full term

Avatar
kil0ran | 6 years ago
1 like

They do seem to be very harshly picked on by cyclecammers...

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Clarkes+Coaches

...or maybe it's just that their driving standards are fucking appalling.

Avatar
FrankH | 6 years ago
0 likes

You would think Clarks Coaches drivers would have been told to be extra careful in the wake of all the bad publicity. Apparently not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-5U23NQT00

Avatar
Look555 | 6 years ago
2 likes

At last, what feels like justice. Perhaps its not the death penalty that some would like but its a start that a custodial sentence is handed down and a decent ban. 

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