A bicycle accident which killed a Coventry man in April last year has been ruled as murder, rather than a tragic mistake. After a gruelling six day trial, the presiding judge sentenced driver Sean Richard Fitzgerald to life imprisonment for his a lethal assault on cyclist Paul Webb.
Bicycle Accident ‘Cover Up’
The court heard how Fitzgerald became enraged when Paul Webb – a 42 year old warehouse worker – clipped the wing mirror of his Ford Focus. Fitzgerald gave chase at high speed, even mounting the pavement to catch up with the cyclist. He then used his car ‘as a weapon’ to catapult Paul Webb against a nearby garage wall.
Bystanders were startled by the noise of the impact – described as a loud crunch of ‘metal hitting metal’. Despite Paul Webb’s serious injuries Fitzpatrick quickly fled the scene. The driver was later seen washing his car in a vain attempt to make the murder look like an unfortunate bicycle accident.
Horrific Cycle Injuries
Paul Webb died moments later at the scene of the accident. The forensic pathologist who conducted the post mortem concluded that the cyclist had died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the collision.
Mr Webb’s lungs were punctured in seven places and a tear to his main artery caused massive internal bleeding. The post mortem also revealed that the cyclist’s whole body was riddled with fractures, broken bones and organ damage.
The crown prosecution service released an official statement through their spokeswoman, who stated that: “We are pleased with the result and our thoughts are very much with the family of the deceased.”
The judge ordered that Fitzpatrick serve at least 13 years of his life sentence before being considered for parole. The tragic murder of Paul Webb highlights the dangers to cyclists on UK roads – some of which are more sinister than a simple bicycle accident.
