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| Bristol tandem bike deaths driver pleads guilty | Bristol tandem bike deaths driver pleads guilty |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man who killed a couple when he knocked them off their tandem bike with a car while being pursued by police has pleaded guilty in court. | |
| Ross Simons, 34, and his wife Clare, 30, died at the scene in Hanham, Bristol on 27 January. | Ross Simons, 34, and his wife Clare, 30, died at the scene in Hanham, Bristol on 27 January. |
| At Bristol Crown Court, Nicholas Lovell, 38, of West Street, Oldland Common, admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. | At Bristol Crown Court, Nicholas Lovell, 38, of West Street, Oldland Common, admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving. |
| Lovell also pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified. | Lovell also pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified. |
| At the time of the crash he was driving a Citroen Picasso owned by Louise Cox, 35, also of Oldland Common, who admitted perverting the course of justice, at the hearing. | |
| Before the collision, which is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), Avon and Somerset Police said an officer indicated for the car to stop but then lost sight of it. | |
| 'Ripped community's heart' | |
| Shortly afterwards, Lovell struck another vehicle on Lower Hanham Road before colliding with Mr and Mrs Simons' tandem. | |
| The case has been adjourned until 22 May to prepare pre-sentencing reports. | The case has been adjourned until 22 May to prepare pre-sentencing reports. |
| Cox is currently the subject of a supervision order and has been released on bail while Lovell remains in custody. | Cox is currently the subject of a supervision order and has been released on bail while Lovell remains in custody. |
| Judge Neil Ford told Cox: "The fact that I'm adjourning for pre-sentencing reports is no indication of the type of sentence you will receive. | Judge Neil Ford told Cox: "The fact that I'm adjourning for pre-sentencing reports is no indication of the type of sentence you will receive. |
| "That will be a matter entirely for the sentencing judge." | "That will be a matter entirely for the sentencing judge." |
| Friends of the couple said they desperately wanted children and at the time of their deaths had just been given the go-ahead to start IVF treatment. | |
| They said Mr and Mrs Simons had been married for about 18 months and had been together for several years. | |
| The Reverend Peter Cook, of Hanham Baptist Church, said at the time that the incident had "ripped the community to its heart". |