An inquest has been held in Haywards Heath over the death of
Marie Vesco, who died while cycling to the ‘Carnival Against the
Arms Trade’
Press Release
from Marie’s Family
Marie-Pierre Vesco, a student from France, was killed on 4th
June 2008 whilst cycling to Brighton with
a group of friends
Marie’s family and friends are not only distressed by her
tragic death but also by the unsatisfactory
legal process that ensued.
On the day that Marie died she was with a group of cyclists traveling
to Brighton; they were using
cycle routes (when found). If there had been comprehensive signage
for cyclists she would have been
on the cycle route parallel to the dangerous A23 where she was
killed.
Before Marie died a motorist concerned for the cyclists’
safety phoned the police. Consequently the
police filmed the cyclists on the dangerous stretch of the A23
but did not advise them of the safer cycle
route nearby.
She was hit by two cars at a type of junction that is normally
only found on motorways. The driver of
the first car decided to pass Marie, before bearing left onto
the slip road, despite the fact that allegedly
she has said that she was unsure of Maries’ intentions. The
car’s wing mirror threw Marie and her bike
to the ground. Seconds later Marie was hit by another car.
The Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute either
of the drivers as, they claim, there was
not enough evidence to prove that their driving was below the
standard of a reasonably competent
driver.
According to Jay Calascione, a spokesperson for the safety campaign
Roadpeace: since 2006 there has
been an alarming increase in the number of potential careless
driving cases where an innocent third
party has been killed but where no charge has been brought against
the causing driver.
The law, which applies to this case, states that a motorist to
be charged with driving without due care
and attention, or careless driving, must be charged within six
months of the incident; the inquest will be
eight months after Marie’s death!
Furthermore, the police report will not be available to Maries’
friends and family until after the inquest.
http://www.smashedo.org.uk/pressreleases/marie%20vesco%20inquest.htm