Van driver found guilty (From Bucks Free Press)

Paul Luker found guilty

4:36pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in Beaconsfield By Lawrence Dunhill

VAN driver Paul Luker has been found guilty of causing death by careless driving after hitting a Beaconsfield cyclist on a ‘motorway type’ road.

The 51-year-old said he did not see RAF man Tom Barrett before crashing into the back of his bike on a three lane section of the A40 Western Avenue, in west London.

He said he was being dazzled by a low sun and was not expecting a cyclist to be on that section of road, next to RAF Northolt, which is subject to the national speed limit.

The five male and seven female jurors took about two hours to reach a unanimous guilty verdict today.

Judge John Anderson said Luker would be sentenced next month, saying a driving ban was inevitable.

He did not impose an immediate ban, to avoid “devastating” Luker’s financial affairs before his wife can take over his job as a self-employed delivery driver.

Group Captain Tom Barrett, 44, who was station commander at RAF Northolt, had been cycling home to Beaconsfield on March 10 last year when the accident happened.

Though there is a cycle lane next to the road, separated by a grass verge, Harrow Crown Court heard Group Captain Barrett was “perfectly entitled” to be cycling in lane one of the main carriageway.

The dad-of-two, of Amersham Road, Beaconsfield, was wearing dark cycle clothing, and the defence suggested there may have been a camouflage effect against the changing background.

The court heard it was “clearly a dangerous environment for the cyclist”, but Luker, of Beaconsfield Road, Farnham Royal, conceded the cyclist was "there to be seen". He added: “I should have expected the unexpected”.

However, he had insisted he had been driving his van carefully and paying attention. He denied causing death by careless driving.

Witnesses said Group Captain Barrett used his journey home as training to compete in triathlons and was likely to be travelling at about 18mph.

He went “flying through the air” after the collision, which happened just after 5pm, and died from multiple injuries, the court heard.

Luker told the Bucks Free Press after the verdict: “I would just like to say to Mr Barrett’s family and friends that I’m very sorry.”

See releated links for previous stories on the trial.