- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
news
Justice (Lonpicman, Wikimedia Commons)Hit-and-run drunk-driver crashed into pregnant cyclist, causing her to lose baby
A hit-and-run van driver who had drunk eight double vodkas before crashing into a heavily pregnant cyclist, causing her to lose her unborn child, has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene.
Leicester Magistrates’ Court heard that Gary Marston, aged 41, is also believed to have been on his mobile phone at the time of the collision in Aylestone on 2 December last year, and that he was driving at 54mph when the crash happened, reports the Leicester Mercury.
He drove off, leaving the victim, who had been riding in a dedicated cycle lane, lying in the road with serious injuries, the court was told. Two days later, police confirmed that she had lost her baby.
Addressing the court, Hitesh Keshvala, prosecuting, said: “Prior to the collision the defendant was in a pub, where he drank eight double vodka drinks mixed with coke.
“He left the pub at approximately 9.15pm.
“At 9.30pm, there was a collision whereby the defendant struck the rear of the cycle.
“The victim can’t remember anything following the collision.
“There has been a collision investigator’s report and what that has found is that, in addition to pub footage where the defendant can be seen drinking, his vehicle was travelling at approximately 46mph in a 30mph zone.
“At the point of impact or shortly after, he was travelling at 54mph.
“The cycle lane was lit and visible. It is a case of the defendant having driven into her.
“There is CCTV footage showing the defendant swerving after the collision and away from the scene.”
Leicestershire Police traced Marston, from Western Park, and arrested him. Examination of his mobile phone showed that it was being used when the crash happened.
“The cyclist lost her full-term unborn baby as a result of the collision,” Mr Keshvala continued. “She was in hospital on a ventilator for around two weeks.”
The magistrates accepted a request on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service that sentencing be referred to the Crown Court due to the serious nature of the crimes, and a sentencing hearing has been set for 6 November at Leicester Crown Court.
Marston, who has been given an interim ban from driving, has been released on unconditional bail pending that hearing, and magistrates also granted an order to protect the identity of the victim.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- mark1a 5 sec ago
There is no solar version of the Edge 1050.
- Jimthebikeguy.com 1 hour 33 min ago
Try and get rid of the negative associations around carbon and pressfit. Carbon frames are no more troublesome than metal, and pressfit is no more...
- r32hoo 5 hours 52 min ago
The first generation CHPT3 items made in concert with Castelli were fantastic quality, and when purchased on sale were a reasonable investment. I...
- David9694 9 hours 1 min ago
Theres not one scrap of self-help among drivers is there, it's always someone else's issue.
- Simon E 9 hours 49 min ago
Oh dear. A single bike in a single size in one shop is not indicative of the entire UK market for bicycles. And the slump isn't just bikes, it's...
- hawkinspeter 12 hours 41 min ago
Ridiculed or is it just jealousy?
- Rendel Harris 13 hours 7 min ago
Thank goodness for that. I don't suppose anyone would want you to. You certainly behave like one though.
- Eton Rifle 13 hours 15 min ago
You do see some utterly ridiculous examples of car use....
- Eton Rifle 13 hours 37 min ago
Exactly. Every road death is a tragedy but this is at the "twat deserved it" end of the spectrum, looking at the state of that car.
- Rendel Harris 13 hours 45 min ago
I'm not the editor of this article, nor indeed of anything on this website. One would have thought that didn't require explaining.
Add new comment
17 comments
It's strange that I haven't seen any outrage in the National Press about this.
Imagine the furore if a drunk, phone-using cyclist had knocked down a pregnant pedestrian and caused her to lose her baby?
Simply horrific. Wilfully drunk, speeding, on phone, collision, causing death, leaving scene. 10 years prison surely.
I can't begin to think how the poor lady and her family must feel.
Perhaps... if the driver had been charged with more than dangerous driving and failing to stop (or rather, if the other charges had not been dropped). As the child was unborn, I don't know if the driver can be charged with causing death by dangerous driving. The driver does not appear to have been been charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The article says 'a number of charges were withdrawn' but does not say what those charges were or why they were withdrawn - on the face of it, it looks like the CPS fubar'd it.
Awful news and I hope they can still expand their family and will not be scared off the roads in the future.
However I hate the expression of the dedicated cycle lane in this case. It is just paint in the road and not even "keep out at all times" paint but the broken variety. It is also faded badly on the last viewing on Google Maps as per 6 months before. It is still all down to the drunk driver in this instance but proper infra might have kept her safe. Even rumble strips etc might have warned the twat even in the state he was in that he had crossed a lane.
The use of an interim ban in this case raises the question of why it isn't used more? I would argue that it should apply in every case of collision resulting in death or serious injury, even if some innocent people would suffer as a result. There could always be an appeal process for innocent victims.
I'm surprised and disappointed he was given bail. Being held on remand seems appropriate.
At least he's been given an interim driving ban while awaiting sentencing.
The magistrate moving it to a crown court means quite an amount of time inside.
This nasty peice of work is not getting a suspended sentence.
There is a child destruction law that can result in a life sentence but it appears this was not pursued.
If he drank 8 double vodkas, why was he served so many? And why did no one try and stop him driving?
I believe that there needs to be intent for that legislation to apply
You are right. It is just that it feels that soome higher charge should have been brought. You don't accidently drink 8 doubles, drive when pissed and drive at stupid speeds in a 30. They are all deliberate decisions where the outcomes can be reasonably perceived.
Oh yes, I agree entirely. I was merely talking in a technical, process related context.
Whenever anyone DUI (or other driving offences) a tragedy of this magnitude would be easily foreseeable. There is something to be said that if this does not happen it is blind luck, not good management, so any DUI is morally culpable to the same level. Don't think the public mind quite works like mine though. Probably just as well.....
appalling on so many levels - should be a landmark case.
Condolences.
A special place in Hell for this driver.
My deepest condolences to the lady who lost her baby, and her family. I can't imagine the anguish they must be going through.
I'm firmly of the belief that justice systems should be primarily about rehabilitation, but in this case the harm that man has done requires severe punishment. And he should never, ever drive again.
We have plenty of arguments on this site, some good-natured, some less so. But I hope that we can all agree that as cyclists, whatever form that takes, we're all in the firing line as long as this level of blasé entitlement around driving remains the cultural norm.
If this doesn't result in at least a 10 year ban from driving, I'm starting a riot.
Agreed.
What a terrible loss for the mother, father and wider family. ;-(
He should face a manslaughter or murder charge -- a life was still lost however small it was as result of his actions.
No doubt the parents of that little life must be absolutely devastated.
Agreed but it seems there isn't an appropriate charge for this situation. I also fear the injuries the woman suffered could well have an impact on her chances of being able to carry another child. Shocking