A driver accused of causing the death of University of York professor Simon McQueen-Mason has told a court he believed his Land Rover was struck by a tree branch, not a person. Professor McQueen-Mason, 64, a leading academic at the University of York, was killed while cycling on the Isle of Wight on June 5th 2022. The driver, Timothy Cale, is accused of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving after his Freelander collided with the professor’s bike.
Giving evidence at Isle of Wight Crown Court on Wednesday, Cale said he had reversed onto the main road to turn around. He told the jury that he carefully checked his mirrors before reversing, and only felt the impact after starting the manoeuvre. He estimated that his vehicle crossed “a foot, or foot and a half” over the centre line.
After hearing his rear windscreen smash, he assumed a branch had fallen. “I was devastated. Total shock, when I realised it was not a branch,” Cale told the court.
Cale said he didn’t stop at the time because he believed the damage had been caused by a tree. He claimed he drove home to check and intended to return to remove the branch from the road. He added that he hadn’t realised anyone had been injured and insisted that if he had known, he would have stopped immediately.
Emergency services were called at around 10:15am to reports of a collision involving a cyclist and a Land Rover Freelander on a triangular patch of land locally known as The Green. When Cale later returned with his wife, police and paramedics were already at the scene. Professor McQueen-Mason was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Image via Google Maps
Vehicle examiners later found damage to the Land Rover’s rear windscreen and tailgate, though tests confirmed Cale had not been drinking or taking drugs.
Local resident Stuart Taylor told the court he heard a “loud crash”, he and another motorist found the cyclist unconscious and called 999. Another witness said he saw the car leaving the area with a smashed rear window shortly after the collision.
Opening the case, prosecutor Russell Pyne said “The allegation is that Mr Cale made a careless manoeuvre. His decision to reverse may have saved him a few seconds, but it led to a catastrophic collision and the loss of life.”
Accident investigator Frazer Davey told the court that based on a reconstruction, the cyclist would have had around nine to 11 seconds to see the Freelander before impact. Assuming a speed of 30-35mph, he said there should have been time to stop or steer away. He added that while the Highway Code advises against reversing into a main road, the act itself is not illegal.
Cale, who no longer lives in the area, denies causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.
The trial continues at Isle of Wight Crown Court.
Featured image of Professor Simon Mcqueen-Mason via YouTube
