Pub landlord guilty of killing Team GB triathlete with his van

14 comments

1. A PUB landlord has been found guilty of killing a Team GB triathlete after he ploughed into the back of her in his van as she was cycling.

   Vasile Barbu, 49, from Abergavenny was convicted by a jury following a trial of causing Caldicot mum Rebecca Comins’ death by dangerous driving.

   The defendant had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

   The mother-of-two died after Barbu smashed into her while driving a Vauxhall Movano on the A40 near Raglan at around 7.20pm on Thursday, June 2, 2022.

   After the jury returned their guilty verdict at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Shoman Khan thanked the victim’s family for their dignity during the trial.

   Barbu was warned he is going to jail ahead of his sentence next month on July 5.

   After granting him conditional bail Judge Khan told him: “This doesn’t mean you will get anything other than a prison sentence for this very serious matter.”

   Barbu could not explain the reason for the crash and claimed he had given Mrs Comins a gap to pass her.

   Prosecutor James Wilson told the jury: “He told police he made his manoeuvre to pass and used his hands to indicate to police he made a gliding movement past her.

   “He said he then heard a knock, he told police ‘I don’t think I hit her’ but he stopped his van because as the van was fully loaded he thought a parcel had moved in the back.

   “He said when he stopped he could not see anything in the back but he saw damage to the headlight then he saw the cyclist on the ground and the damaged bike.”

   Mr Wilson added: “Rebecca Comins was there to be seen. Visibility was good, she was cycling with a bright rear light so was clearly obvious to other witnesses.

   “Her presence on that road was not unexpected.

   “Barbu would have seen the road signs for the cycling event taking place and would have passed other similar cyclists before he reached Mrs Comins.

   “She was cycling in a proper manner and correctly positioned on the road.

   “She was on a long, straight stretch of road with plenty of time for him to see her.”

   “Further he had space in the outside lane to move into and safely manoeuvre around her and to avoid colliding.

   “He instead directly hit Mrs Comins from behind.”

   Barbu, 48, was fined last year after he admitted more than 20 food regulation offences while the landlord of the Old Pandy Inn, Pandy, near Abergavenny.

2. Last year I was driven into by a motorist as I gave way for him to turn right. He was fiddling for something under his dashboard as he made his maneuverer, cut the corner really badly and broke my leg.

   The police didn’t even consider it a crime, he got away absolutely scott free.

3. This is what happens when a driver’s irrational hatred of cyclists turns them in to a killer.

4. Has the hallmarks of a “punishment” close pass. Unproven of course, but I hope the new sentencing for death by dangerous let’s them throw the book at him.

   This isn’t a human factor mistake. The fact he can’t really explain it, and tries to pass off as if he didn’t realise what had happened (bollocks) says it all. He knew she was there, he’d seen her, and managed to kill her anyway.

   To be honest, if he’d caught her with the rear of the van I’d have more time for his story, but it seems he hit her with the headlight. For one, fucking how – that’s just driving into somebody. For two, how do you not realise. Nonsense and lies all the way through, culminating with a not guilty plea to push the issue all the way to the wire.

5. If like the Judge said lots of people were cycling on that road behind them, it makes me think he got angry at all the cyclists and took it out on one, to teach them a lesson.

6. Tried to scare her by passing really close but just ended up killing her instead. I’ve been forced into the curb by cunts doing this.

7. I hope he gets a long stay. Police need to step up going after “punishment passes” and other unsafe driving around cyclists.

8. Thing is, crap like this happens a lot to cyclists and motorists are rarely punished for it. Meanwhile the Tories are like “cyclists are a danger to our roads!!!”

9. As a cyclist, what can I do against assholes like this?

   Rearview camera? Can anyone recommend affordable ones?

10. I now fully expect MPs to crack down on killer motorists, exactly as they did with killer cyclists last month.

11. Has the audacity to plead not guilty when he’s clearly close passed her as she’s taken her lane, as was her right. Entitled prick, hope he goes down for a big chunk of time and spends all of it thinking about the family he’s ruined and life he’s taken all because of a childlike hatred for other road users.

12. I will never understand why these cases aren’t manslaughter. If you were carrying an axe down the street and spontaneously decided to kill someone with it, it would be manslaughter, why is it not the same with a car (or van). I will concede that it’s not murder, you didn’t intend to kill someone when you got in your car, even though you are aware it’s very capable of killing people and non lethal alternatives are available

13. Poor woman. This is why I don’t cycle regularly, too many bad drivers, not enough cycle paths.

14. Seems like such a solid bloke as well:

    https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/pub-landlord-taken-court-over-26351371