Fixie rider faces up to two years in prison after being convicted over death of mother-of-two

Charlie Alliston not guilty of manslaughter, but faces time in prison for "wanton and furious driving"

Charlie Alliston faces up to two years in prison

(Image credit: Mark Thomas/REX/Shutterstock)

A cyclist from London faces up to two years in prison after being convicted over the death of a mother-of-two who he collided with while riding an illegal fixed gear bike with no front brake.

Charlie Alliston, then 18, collided with Kim Briggs, 44, as she walked across Old Street in London in February 2016. Mrs Briggs was hit by Mr Alliston has he travelled at 18mph, suffering "catastrophic" head injuries and dying in hospital.

The Old Bailey heard how Mr Alliston could have stopped in time if his Planet X track bike had been fitted with a front brake as required by law, an assertion that was disputed by the defence.

>>> Thief gives fixed-gear bike back to owner after he couldn't figure out how to ride it

Mr Alliston also said that he was not aware of the requirement for his bike to be fitted with a front brake, and had been using similar bikes while working for various courier companies prior to the collision with Mrs Briggs.

Mr Alliston was found not guilty of manslaughter, but was convicted of causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

Judge Wendy Joseph QC said she was considering a jail sentence for Mr Alliston, saying "I have not seen one iota of remorse from Mr Alliston at all at any stage."

He is due to be sentenced on 18 September.

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Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.