Simon Richardson arrest footage played in Michael Mullins case, Manchester 2026

Key Points

• Video footage of Simon Richardson’s arrest has been submitted as evidence in the Michael Mullins murder case in Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
• Michael Mullins, aged 56 and Headteacher of Stretford Grammar School, passed away following an incident when he was hit while cycling home on 20 April.
• Simon Richardson, 35, is charged with murder, an alternate charge of manslaughter, and dangerous driving.
• The prosecution claims that Mr Mullins was pulled under a black Volvo XC90, which travelled 1.3 miles before dropping him in Lymm, Cheshire.
• According to court testimonies cited by the Warrington Guardian, Mr Mullins continued to be “physiologically alive” when he was trapped underneath the vehicle.
• Dashcam footage of a police chase on 21 April, one day after the fatal accident, has been presented to the jury in Failsworth.
• As reported by Manchester Evening News, Mr Richardson was arrested for causing death by dangerous driving, and did not react during his arrest.
• The trial is still in progress and the accusations against Mr Richardson have not been confirmed.

Manchester Crime (Manchester Mirror) October 21, 2026 – New court footage has shown the moment a driver was arrested after allegedly striking and dragging Stretford Grammar School headteacher Michael Mullins beneath his car, as his murder trial continues at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Simon Richardson, 35, denies murdering the 56-year-old headteacher, who was cycling home from Stretford Grammar School when he was struck by a black Volvo XC90 on the evening of 20 April. Richardson also denies an alternative charge of manslaughter and a charge of dangerous driving.

As reported by the Manchester Evening News, jurors were shown footage of Richardson’s arrest after a police pursuit in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, on 21 April. The report said he was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and reportedly showed no reaction during the arrest.

The trial concerns allegations that Richardson collided with Mr Mullins near a junction in Warburton, Altrincham, before driving on with the cyclist trapped beneath the vehicle. Prosecutors allege that Mr Mullins was dragged for approximately 1.3 miles before the car travelled to Wet Gate Lane in Lymm, Cheshire, where he was finally dislodged.

What does the footage show?

The newly reported arrest footage forms part of a wider body of visual evidence presented to the jury. According to the Manchester Evening News, dashcam footage of the pursuit was played in court, covering the journey from Manchester Lane until Richardson was seen fleeing from a silver Ford Transit van.

The Independent reported that jurors watched the dashcam footage on Tuesday. It said the pursuit involved Richardson driving a silver Ford Transit van in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, on 21 April, the day after Mr Mullins was struck.

The Manchester Evening News reported that Richardson was “crouched behind” another van when police approached. The publication reported that he was then arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The court has not yet reached a verdict. Richardson denies the charges, and the reporting of the trial distinguishes between allegations made by the prosecution and evidence accepted by the court.

What happened to Michael Mullins?

Michael Mullins was the headteacher of Stretford Grammar School. According to evidence reported by multiple outlets, he was cycling home to Northwich, Cheshire, when the collision occurred on 20 April.

The BBC reported that Mr Mullins was struck and killed as he cycled home from work. The broadcaster also reported that CCTV footage from outside La Boheme restaurant in Lymm showed the car passing with Mr Mullins visibly being dragged beneath the front left side of the vehicle.

As reported by the Independent, prosecutors allege that Richardson drove at speed through give-way markers at a junction in Warburton, Altrincham, and into Mr Mullins’s path. The publication reported that the prosecution case is that Richardson knew Mr Mullins was beneath the wheels of his vehicle but drove on anyway.

The Manchester Evening News reported that prosecutors allege Richardson failed to stop and accelerated, pulling Mr Mullins along the road for about 2.2 kilometres, or 1.3 miles, before abandoning him at the side of the road.

What have witnesses and experts said?

The trial has heard evidence from witnesses and a pathologist about Mr Mullins’s injuries and the circumstances in which he was found.

As reported by the Warrington Guardian, Dr McLoughlin told the court that Mr Mullins remained “physiologically alive” while underneath the vehicle and after he was deposited on Wet Gate Lane. The report said Dr McLoughlin said Mr Mullins suffered multiple traumatic injuries and later went into cardiac arrest, but could not say whether he had been conscious while trapped beneath the car.

The Warrington Guardian further reported that Dr McLoughlin said the injuries were consistent with Mr Mullins being dragged beneath a car, and that the resulting blood loss would have sent his body into shock and could have caused cardiac arrest.

The BBC reported that witnesses tried to save Mr Mullins after he was found. The broadcaster described Richardson as being on trial accused of murdering Mr Mullins by dragging him along the road after he became stuck under the car’s wheels in a collision.

What other footage has the jury seen?

Jurors have been shown several pieces of footage during the trial, including CCTV and dashcam material connected to the events before and after the collision.

The Manchester Evening News reported that the Crown Prosecution Service released a 17-second video clip on 19 October. The publication said the footage, previously shown to the jury, captured the Volvo overtaking another vehicle on Dunham Road.

According to the Manchester Evening News, the dashcam footage was recorded from a car travelling behind Richardson and showed him manoeuvring past two vehicles before switching to the opposite lane.

Metro reported that dashcam footage from the car behind appeared to show Richardson veering into the opposite lane to overtake two vehicles ahead. The publication reported that jurors heard Richardson allegedly put his foot down and fled the scene at more than 60mph, with Mr Mullins trapped under the wheels.

The Sun reported that jurors were shown footage depicting Richardson’s Volvo swerving into oncoming traffic to overtake other cars shortly before the collision. It also reported that the Crown Prosecution Service presented an image of the Volvo with Richardson behind the wheel, reportedly captured shortly after the incident, showing a dent in the front right of the car and the driver’s window fully open.

What has Simon Richardson said?

Simon Richardson has denied the charges against him. According to the Manchester Evening News, he has pleaded not guilty to murder, an alternative charge of manslaughter, and dangerous driving.

The BBC reported that Richardson, of no fixed address, denies both murder and manslaughter. The Manchester Evening News reported that he previously resided on Epsom Avenue in Sale but currently has no fixed address.

The allegations described in court are prosecution allegations. Richardson has not been convicted, and the trial continues before the jury at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Where was Mr Mullins found?

Prosecutors allege that Mr Mullins was eventually dislodged from the vehicle in Lymm, Cheshire. The Independent reported that Richardson is alleged to have travelled to a country lane in Lymm, where the car “veered sharply and deliberately from side to side” before mounting a grass verge and driving over Mr Mullins, who was finally dislodged.

The Warrington Guardian reported that Mr Mullins was deposited on Wet Gate Lane. The BBC reported that CCTV from outside La Boheme restaurant in Lymm showed the car passing with Mr Mullins being dragged beneath the front left side.

The reporting does not establish that Richardson has admitted any of these events. The prosecution’s account remains subject to the ongoing trial process.

What happens next in the trial?

The trial remains ongoing at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. No verdict has been reported, and Richardson continues to deny all charges.

The Manchester Evening News reported that the trial is ongoing. The Independent and Cheshire Live also reported that jurors were continuing to hear evidence, including footage connected to the police pursuit and arrest.

The case is being heard before a jury, which will consider the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defence before reaching verdicts on the charges faced by Richardson.

Background of the development

Michael Mullins was headteacher of Stretford Grammar School in Trafford, Greater Manchester. He was reported to have been cycling home to Northwich, Cheshire, when the fatal incident occurred on 20 April.

Simon Richardson, 35, was later charged in connection with Mr Mullins’s death. The Manchester Evening News reported in September that Richardson appeared before the court and pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Mullins.

The case has since proceeded to trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. Reporting from the BBC, the Independent, the Manchester Evening News, Cheshire Live, the Warrington Guardian and other outlets has covered the evidence heard by jurors, including CCTV, dashcam footage, witness accounts and pathology evidence.

The latest reporting focuses on footage of Richardson’s arrest following a police pursuit in Failsworth on 21 April. The development forms part of the prosecution’s case concerning events after the fatal collision, although Richardson denies the charges and the trial has not concluded.

Prediction: How could this affect local residents and road users?

For local residents, parents, cyclists and road users in Trafford, Altrincham, Lymm and the wider Greater Manchester and Cheshire area, the trial is likely to renew attention on cyclist safety at rural and suburban junctions.

If the jury convicts Richardson, the case may prompt further public discussion about road safety, junction design, driver behaviour and the protection of cyclists travelling between Greater Manchester and Cheshire. For the Stretford Grammar School community, the outcome may also affect how staff, pupils and families process the loss of their headteacher.

If Richardson is acquitted or the jury is unable to reach a verdict, the case may still leave local residents asking practical questions about road safety and emergency response. In either outcome, the trial’s evidence is likely to remain a point of reference in local discussions about cycling routes, junction safety and the risks faced by commuters travelling by bicycle.