A motorist has been found guilty of murder after striking a cyclist and dragging him beneath his vehicle for more than a mile through Greater Manchester. According to The Guardian, headteacher Michael Mullins, 56, was travelling home from Stretford Grammar School on the evening of 20 April 2026 when he was hit by a Volvo XC90 driven by Simon Richardson, 35. Mullins died from multiple injuries sustained during the incident and the subsequent journey to a remote location.
Richardson drove straight through give-way markers at a junction in Altrincham and into Mullins's path, causing the cyclist to fall onto the bonnet and windscreen before becoming trapped beneath the 4×4. The father of two became entangled in the vehicle's suspension as Richardson continued driving. Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard that prosecutors contended Richardson was aware the trapped cyclist was directly beneath him shortly after the collision in Warburton.
Prosecutors presented evidence that Richardson deliberately drove to a secluded farm track in Wet Gate Lane, Lymm, approximately 1.3 miles from Paddock Lane, apparently attempting to dislodge Mullins. During this journey, Richardson's front seat passenger and cousin, Gabrielle Debotte, heard "moaning" from outside the vehicle. She testified that Richardson stated:
He's under the car.
At the farm track, Richardson made two attempts to pull Mullins from beneath the vehicle before returning to the car and veering sharply and deliberately from side to side, then mounting a grass verge. Mullins was finally released but was driven over as Richardson reversed and drove away from the scene.
What evidence convinced the jury?
Prosecutor Phil Barnes KC argued that Richardson's actions demonstrated knowledge and intent. He told jurors:
Simon Richardson knew he was there and he inevitably knew what the consequences of driving on would be, and he did it anyway. For a split second after the collision, for a brief moment he possibly thought about doing the right thing and getting out and taking ownership of what he had just done and help the man he had just run down. But Simon Richardson did not get out. He did not do the right thing. He chose to drive away. The obvious reason is because he wanted to escape the consequences of what he had just done.
The prosecution characterised Mullins as "the single, solid piece of evidence of what he was driving away from," suggesting Richardson's actions at the farm track were deliberate attempts to conceal his crime. A motorcyclist discovered Mullins alone and barely breathing on the grass verge after following a trail of blood from Paddock Lane. Emergency services attended but were unable to save him.
What was Richardson's defence?
Richardson denied the murder charge, claiming he did not realise Mullins was underneath his car and asserting he did not exit the vehicle to attempt to free him. The jury rejected these claims after considering the evidence presented during the trial.
When did the jury reach its verdict?
Jurors were sent out to consider their verdicts on Wednesday and returned after two days of deliberations at approximately 11.45am on Friday. The jury was instructed that a murder conviction required it to be sure Richardson intended to kill or seriously harm Mullins during the period he was dragged, and that the injuries from that period contributed more than minimally to his death. Family members in the public gallery were in tears after the verdicts were returned.
Richardson, of no fixed address, was also found guilty of a separate allegation of dangerous driving on 21 April, relating to a police pursuit before his arrest the following day. Mrs Justice Brunner KC discharged the jurors from taking jury service again for 10 years and told them:
This was, I know, an upsetting case and there was evidence which you may have found distressing.
What happens next?
The judge informed Richardson that murder carries a mandatory life sentence. He is due to be sentenced on Monday, 2 November 2026.
Mullins's family released a statement expressing their grief:
He was devoted to his family and our lives will never be the same. A gap has been left in our hearts and within his role as a headteacher of Stretford Grammar School.
Key Facts
- Michael Mullins, 56, a headteacher at Stretford Grammar School, was struck by a Volvo XC90 on 20 April 2026 in Altrincham, Greater Manchester
- Simon Richardson, 35, drove approximately 1.3 miles to a remote location with Mullins trapped beneath his vehicle
- Richardson was convicted of murder and dangerous driving; he faces a mandatory life sentence
- The jury deliberated for two days before returning guilty verdicts on Friday
- Sentencing is scheduled for 2 November 2026
