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| Lorry driver tells court how he pleaded with injured cyclist to 'hold on' | Lorry driver tells court how he pleaded with injured cyclist to 'hold on' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A lorry driver clasped the hand of a young cyclist and pleaded with her to “hold on” as she lay mortally wounded under the wheels of his lorry, a court has heard. | A lorry driver clasped the hand of a young cyclist and pleaded with her to “hold on” as she lay mortally wounded under the wheels of his lorry, a court has heard. |
| Vincent Doyle, 45, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of causing the death of German postgraduate student Janina Gehlau by careless driving on 17 October 2014. He denies the charge. | Vincent Doyle, 45, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of causing the death of German postgraduate student Janina Gehlau by careless driving on 17 October 2014. He denies the charge. |
| Gehlau, 26, from Düsseldorf, was moving up a cycle lane on Farringdon Road when she was crushed under the lorry as Doyle turned left at the busy Ludgate Circus junction in central London, the court has heard. | |
| Doyle had been stationary at a red light for 23 seconds and should have had up to five seconds to spot her in his mirrors if they had been adjusted properly, the prosecution alleges. | Doyle had been stationary at a red light for 23 seconds and should have had up to five seconds to spot her in his mirrors if they had been adjusted properly, the prosecution alleges. |
| Gehlau’s widower, Marcel, and other close family members sat in court with a German translator as Doyle told jurors that he only noticed her after he felt “a bump”. | Gehlau’s widower, Marcel, and other close family members sat in court with a German translator as Doyle told jurors that he only noticed her after he felt “a bump”. |
| Doyle said he had held a spotless driving licence for 20 years and had begun riding a tractor from the age of 14. | Doyle said he had held a spotless driving licence for 20 years and had begun riding a tractor from the age of 14. |
| On the day of the accident he had been on his way to a site in Pudding Lane in the City to pick up his second load of the day. | |
| The first he knew of Gehlau’s position at the lights was when he felt a bump, he said. | The first he knew of Gehlau’s position at the lights was when he felt a bump, he said. |
| Despite not seeing her before then, Doyle insisted he had checked his mirrors “five or six times” as he waited for the lights to change. | Despite not seeing her before then, Doyle insisted he had checked his mirrors “five or six times” as he waited for the lights to change. |
| The driver told jurors how he went to Gehlau’s aid and waited with her until the ambulance arrived to take her to hospital. | The driver told jurors how he went to Gehlau’s aid and waited with her until the ambulance arrived to take her to hospital. |
| He said: “At first I was angry, thinking ‘what is this person doing?’ but once I got closer I saw how injured she was. | He said: “At first I was angry, thinking ‘what is this person doing?’ but once I got closer I saw how injured she was. |
| “I was taking her pulse, chatting to her all the time. I was holding her hand, telling her ‘please hang on’. We were chatting away. And then she died. She died just as the ambulance got there.” | “I was taking her pulse, chatting to her all the time. I was holding her hand, telling her ‘please hang on’. We were chatting away. And then she died. She died just as the ambulance got there.” |
| On how the accident had affected him, he said: “I had a nervous breakdown last year. I was in a psychiatric hospital for eight months. | On how the accident had affected him, he said: “I had a nervous breakdown last year. I was in a psychiatric hospital for eight months. |
| “I was interviewed by police. Afterwards I started building my life and got on with it. I thought, ‘no, I can handle this’, but once they charged me ... My body basically gave way. It could not take any more stress.” | “I was interviewed by police. Afterwards I started building my life and got on with it. I thought, ‘no, I can handle this’, but once they charged me ... My body basically gave way. It could not take any more stress.” |
| Doyle of Brent, north London, told jurors he always carried out safety checks before taking the Foden truck out on the road. | Doyle of Brent, north London, told jurors he always carried out safety checks before taking the Foden truck out on the road. |
| As a lorry driver he would check his mirrors more than ordinary motorists, although he was not aware of Trixi mirrors – convex roadside mirrors – at the time as he had spent seven years in Ireland, he said. | As a lorry driver he would check his mirrors more than ordinary motorists, although he was not aware of Trixi mirrors – convex roadside mirrors – at the time as he had spent seven years in Ireland, he said. |
| After the crash, he said he had been mistaken when he repeatedly told investigators that the lights at the junction had been green. | After the crash, he said he had been mistaken when he repeatedly told investigators that the lights at the junction had been green. |
| He explained: “After the accident my head was all over the place. I couldn’t exactly remember what happened.” | He explained: “After the accident my head was all over the place. I couldn’t exactly remember what happened.” |
| Cross-examining, Alison Hunter suggested that since he could not even remember having stopped, it was not true that he checked his mirrors five or six times. | Cross-examining, Alison Hunter suggested that since he could not even remember having stopped, it was not true that he checked his mirrors five or six times. |
| Doyle replied: “It is true. I’m a professional driver.” | Doyle replied: “It is true. I’m a professional driver.” |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |