Cyclist killed elderly woman after crashing into her trying to overtake her as she walked with a friend along River Thames towpath, court hears

A cyclist killed an 81-year-old woman after he crashed into her while trying to overtake her as she walked with a friend along the River Thames towpath in Oxford, a court has heard. 

Polly Friedhoff was 'practically catapulted' into the air when she was hit from behind by Edward Bressan, 56, jurors were told. 

She suffered serious injuries to the head, arms and ribs and died in hospital 12 days after the crash. 

Bressan, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of 'causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving,' an offence under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act.

The prosecution says the cyclist was 'reckless' and told the jury 'the case concerns the nature of Mr Bressan's driving of his bicycle'.

Bressan, who went on trial at Oxford Crown Court on Monday claims he rang his bell to signal his presence, but she accidentally moved into his path and the pair collided.

Jurors were told that Mrs Friedhoff was walking with her friend Ewa Huggins near Iffley Lock on November 20, 2022 when the collision occurred at 12.40pm.

Opening the case yesterday, prosecutor Andrew Jordan said the women were walking on the right-hand side when Bressan tried to overtake them on the left.

Mr Jordan told the jury: 'It is that manoeuvre that will be the focus of your attention in this trial. You will hear differing versions of the position, speed and reaction of the parties, and as to whether there was any warning from Mr Bressan.'

Ms Huggins said Mrs Friedhoff was 'propelled forward' by the impact.

She said: 'We were walking quite close together and, suddenly, I saw Polly basically flying in front of me and falling flat on the towpath.

'She landed at an angle, with incredible force.

'She didn't have enough time to put her hands out, she just went straight flat and fell on her face about a metre away from me.

'She laid across the path very uncomfortably with one of her arms twisted quite badly.'

Ms Huggins said the bike fell next to her with Bressan lying on top of the it.

'He looked up at me with a look of fear on his face,' she said. 'I did not see the man hit Polly, I only saw the aftermath, after she was practically catapulted. She was very badly hurt and she could not speak. I actually thought she was dead.'

The court heard that Bressan was upset and sobbing when emergency services arrived at the scene.

Bressan was interviewed by police and told officers he had tried to signal his presence to the women before trying to overtake them, but that Mrs Friedhoff accidentally moved in front of him.

Prosecutor Mr Jordan told jurors: 'He explained that he had been intending to overtake the ladies, that he had rung the bell on his bike and that although Ewa had moved to the right and signalled to Polly to do likewise, Polly had in fact moved into the path of his bike as he attempted to overtake.'

Ms Huggins told jurors that she does not recall hearing a bell or a shout from the cyclist, nor does she recall Mrs Friedhoff moving to the left onto his path.

Mr Jordan said: 'The prosecution say that Mr Bressan's riding of his bicycle was reckless and that in overtaking the ladies he caused bodily harm to Mrs Friedhoff.'

Bressan is accused of careless cycling and causing bodily harm by 'wanton and furious driving'.

He is also charged with causing bodily harm by wilful misconduct, which he denies.

The trial, expected to last four days, continues.