The Bexley Assault

For those of you that didn’t see, a few weeks ago a Video Camera Cyclist caught a driver getting out of a vehicle and assaulting another cyclist. Supposedly because the driver passed so close to the cyclist just before a pinch point that his mirror struck him.

It should be an open and shut case but unfortunately the police that took charge of this incident where a bit on the lazy side and gave up when a small challenge was put in front of them. Needless to say the cycling community was up in arms about this and resorted to viral media to get something done about it.

The police originally reported back stating that the owner of the vehicle was not the man in the video and he was not aware who took his vehicle, he was at a wedding and left the keys in his car and it was taken, but apparently returned undamaged and with the keys. Something certainly didn’t add up and why didn’t the police question this further. It’s suspected but never confirmed that the driver at the time was not insured, and if he took the vehicle then is liable for several offences. All of which seem to have been overlooked.

After the clip went viral, local papers picked it up and so did national TV. The driver shortly handed him self into the police and was later fined £400 and order to pay £100 to the victim.  Unfortunately his fine was 1/3 of what it should have been, the judge gave him a discount for pleading guilty.

I seriously do question if the driver was insured and if the owner knew about him taking it. If he did then he allowed the person to drive without insurance and prevented the police from completing their investigations. If the driver genuinely didn’t know about the person taking his car then the driver should be charged for taking the vehicle without consent. Unfortunately none of this has been covered by any news sites, I will just have to presume that this has been overlooked. An example of road laws being overlooked by non-traffic police officers.


6 thoughts on “The Bexley Assault

  1. The cyclist was apparently a solicitor or barrister. I wonder if they could start a private prosecution against the driver/assaulter for driving without insurance? (That would force the CPS to take action).

  2. You say that the owner of the vehicle was:
    “he was at a wedding and left the keys in his car and it was taken”

    and yet in this report it states:

    “A driver was on his way to arrange his mother’s funeral when he got out of his car and punched a cyclist in a fit of road rage, a court heard.”

    http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford_messenger/news/2011/july/25/attacker_on_youtube.aspx

    If both are true the guy took someone else’s car from a wedding to arrange his mothers furneral?

    Interesting.

      1. The comments on that article are great. They just seem to be cyclists v drivers! Kept me entertained for a good hour.

  3. To be fair – he got fined for what there was evidence for – common assault.

    They may struggle to prosecute for dangerous driving, as there was no video to support this. They may have been witness statements, but maybe that evidence wasn’t strong enough.

    With regard to insurance. He may well have been insured under his own insurance. I know I am to drive any car – with owners permission. With regard to that last point, maybe the owner of the car has been cautioned for obstructing?

    Also – does he has a criminal record now? If so that is more harmful than a few points on a licence.

  4. I’m amazed the police left it unsolved originally. Its my guess the car was insured by someone without a permanent address and the police just thought it would be easier life if left. Congratulations on Road.CC for making things happen.

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