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Driver 'racing ahead of another' killed caretaker cyclist

Family handout Stewart MilneFamily handout
Stewart Milne was on his way home from work as a school caretaker

A driver who killed a cyclist while "racing ahead" of another vehicle that had "annoyed him" has been jailed.

Miles Polite, 28, crashed into school caretaker Stewart Milne, 44, who had been crossing Trumpington High Street in Cambridge in December 2017.

Prosecutor Andrew Howarth said if Polite was driving "at an appropriate speed he would have seen Mr Milne".

Polite, of Cornfields, Burwell, was jailed for three years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.

Cambridge Crown Court heard Mr Milne was hit by Polite while cycling home from work at about 22:20 GMT on 12 December.

The court was told Polite, in a high-performance Ford Focus, had just overtaken another motorist, Andrew Dean, at the previous set of traffic lights.

Mr Dean told police that prior to this manoeuvre Polite was "driving so close behind his car he could not see the headlight's of the defendant's car in the rear-view mirror".

Google Maps Trumpington High StreetGoogle Maps
Stewart Milne was hit while crossing Trumpington High Street

The court was told Polite remained on scene after the crash and rang emergency services, but Mr Milne died in hospital two days later.

Mr Howarth said that while it was not possible to precisely estimate the speed Polite was travelling, it was "likely to be in a range of 45-49mph (72-78km/h)" in a 30mph (48km/h) zone.

The court was told that while the light was green for road traffic, Mr Milne, who had bike lights on, was not prohibited from crossing the road.

Mr Howarth said: "When Mr Milne begins to cross the road it seems the Focus was not in his sight".

Cambridgeshire Police Stewart MilneCambridgeshire Police
Stewart Milne was a keen cyclist with more than 30 years experience

Mitigating, Tim Brown said: "[Polite] is genuinely empathetic and remorseful for what has happened. It is something he must live with for the rest of his life."

Judge David Farrell QC said Polite had been driving at "wholly excessive speed for the road conditions" on a wet night.

The judge said it was "clear" from what Polite said after the crash he had been "racing ahead of another car that had annoyed you".

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