A 75-year-old man has been jailed after smashing into and killing a woman on a bicycle in a late-night crash on a country road near Shaftesbury.
Mary Emerson-Reed, 63, a well-known local cyclist, was knocked off her bike and killed on the B3081 between Tollard Royal and Shaftesbury at around 11pm on June 23, 2023.
The killer driver, Alan Morris, of Budbury Circle, Bradford on Avon, was today sentenced to 10 months in prison after admitting death by careless driving at Salisbury Crown Court. He’s also been slapped with a 29-month driving ban and must pass a rigorous extended test before ever getting back behind the wheel.
Tragic Final Ride
Mary had been cycling with a friend, both wearing high-visibility clothing and with fully lit bikes, when Morris’s Vauxhall Insignia ploughed into her from behind.
Morris had been doing 69mph — nearly 10mph over the speed limit — and claimed he couldn’t see Mary due to oncoming headlights. But forensic experts later proved the cyclists were visible from 200 metres away.
Judge Slams “No Excuse” Driving
T/DC Alex Collins, from Wiltshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Team, said:
“This is a heartbreaking case. Mary and her friend were doing everything right — they were visible, prepared, and cautious.
Alan Morris had ample time to react but failed to do so, and the consequences were fatal.”
Justice at Last
The crash has shaken the Shaftesbury community. Mary was remembered as a dedicated cyclist who promoted safe riding and was loved by all who knew her.
Morris must also pay a £187 victim surcharge, and the judge noted his driving as one of the “fatal five” offences most likely to cause death or serious injury on UK roads.
Know the Fatal Five:
- Careless driving
- Speeding
- Not wearing a seatbelt
- Drink and drug driving
- Driving while distracted (mobile phones)
