Policer officer who crashed into and knocked out a terminally ill pensioner, 73, while cycling on the pavement is let off with a £30 fine
- John Wilson was hit by an off duty member of Sussex Police staff cycling past
- The terminally ill pensioner with prostate cancer, 73, suffered facial injuries
- The Brighton-based police officer has been given a £30 fine for the incident
- Police bosses say their worker was not ‘cycling in a wanton or furious manner’
The off-duty police officer who slammed into a 73-year-old pensioner while riding his bike has been let off with a £30 fine.
John Wilson, who is terminally ill with prostate cancer, was left with bruises to his face and suffered broken ribs after he was bowled over by the cyclist on Tarring Road, Worthing, on October 19.
However the officer, a member of Sussex Police, has now been given a £30 fixed-penalty notice after police bosses said their worker was not ‘cycling in a wanton or furious manner’ and it was not in the public interest to prosecute.
John Wilson, 73, was left with bruises and suffered broken ribs after the police officer crashed into him in Tarring Road, Worthing, on October 19
Footage shows Mr Wilson lying on the floor as members of the public approach him
Mr Wilson, who spent ten hours in A&E, told The Sun: ‘If any member of Joe public did what this guy did he’d be prosecuted.
‘A £30 penalty is not fitting of the crime.’
The pensioner also said the officer, who is known only as Fred, had not apologised over the incident.
MailOnline has contacted Sussex Police for comment.
Last month shocking CCTV footage captured the moment the police officer, who was riding on the pavement, hit Mr Wilson as he walked out of a shop.
Passersby rushed to the pensioner’s aid after the collision.
The footage showed Mr Wilson lying on the floor for some time as he was comforted by a woman who stroked his back while addressing the cyclist.
Mr Wilson previously said: ‘I stepped out on to the wide pavement and didn’t see the bike.
‘I was whacked straight in the face, I hit the ground.
‘I’m very annoyed at watching the video as I’m a human being with a terminal illness and I think he thought of me like a piece of dirt. It’s his attitude.
Mr Wilson, 73, who suffers from prostate cancer, was left with facial injuries
‘I hit the floor and he did not ring an ambulance – a neighbour had to ring an ambulance.’
Mr Wilson said that as he lay on the floor waiting for emergency services to take him to hospital, passersby also demanded the cyclist’s name.
He said the man would not give his full name ‘as he worked for Sussex Police’.
The pensioner was taken to hospital with facial injuries and his iPhone was beyond repair.
Following the incident a spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: ‘The cyclist, who is a member of staff based in Brighton and was off duty, says he gave his name at the time.
‘The incident has been referred to the Professional Standards Department to investigate any road traffic offences committed and whether there is a need for disciplinary procedures.’
According to guidelines, cyclists must not travel on pavements.
Any cyclist prosecuted for breaking this rule would be held to be in breach of section 72 of the Highways Act 1835. It is punishable by a fine from £30 up to £500.
It may also leave the cyclist open to prosecution for careless riding or dangerous riding.
The off-duty member of Sussex Police, who is riding on the pavement , hits Mr Wilson as he walks out of a shop
Sussex Police confirmed the cyclist worked for the force but said their worker was not ‘cycling in a wanton or furious manner’
As the pensioner lies on the pavement a woman sits next to him and speaks with the cyclist
Dangerous cycling is an offence under section 28 of the Road Traffic Act and is a more serious offence than careless and inconsiderate cycling.
The maximum penalty for dangerous cycling is £2,500.
While not in itself a law, the rule is also enshrined in the Highway Code.
Rule 64 of the Highway Code states: ‘You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement.’
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