Lorry driver accused of killing cyclist had installed dashboard tray table that blocked his view

A lorry driver accused of killing a Birmingham cyclist would have seen her had he not installed a dashboard tray table. Robert Bradbury, aged 50, told jurors he installed it to be "one of the lads".

The BBC reports that Dr Suzanna Bull, 32, died from "catastrophic" injuries after being hit in Pershore Road, Edgbaston, on October 9, 2017.

Prosecutor Michael Duck QC told the court that a tray-table, a sat-nav system, a fan, ornaments and other items had been placed on the centre of the 32-tonne Scania's dashboard.

Bradbury admitted that had the table not been there, he would have seen Bull.

Asked why he had the tray table, Bradbury said: "Just so I could be one of the lads. They all had one so I got one."

The table’s presence would have meant an MOT failure. Bradbury said he wasn’t aware of this.

"There was no indication of that at all. I was just told to tidy up as it was going in for its MOT."

Duck asked: "Did it really take the death of a young lady to tell you that was dangerous?"

Bradbury replied, "Beforehand, I had never had an issue with the table at all."

Asked if he knew who was at fault for the accident, Bradbury said: "It was six of one and half-a-dozen of the other."

Bradbury denies causing death by dangerous driving and a charge of causing death by careless driving.

The case continues.

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