Natalie Read wept as she was told she was free to leave court
Harry Atkinson (left) and Lewis Meeson (right)
A mum has been found not guilty of causing the deaths of two young men in a ‘tragic’ crash.
Natalie Read, 41, was driving her Ford Kuga when she collided with an off-road bike being driven by 20-year-old Harry Atkinson, in Royton, Oldham on Good Friday in 2022. Mr Atkinson’s friend, Lewis Meeson, 21, was travelling as a pillion passenger on the back of the bike at the time.
Prosecutors alleged that Ms Read caused the crash by turning into the path of the bike, which was not road legal and was travelling in excess of the speed limit.
Ms Read later told police that she hadn’t seen the motorbike until the crash.
Following a trial at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court, Ms Read was acquitted of two offences of causing death by careless driving.
Addressing an emotional Ms Read, trial Judge Maurice Greene told her she was free to leave the dock.
Speaking to the jurors, he said: “This was an absolute tragedy where two young men lost their lives.
“These courts rely on yourselves to come here without much of a choice and rely on you to make decisions on cases and the effect on everybody’s lives, so we are very grateful for you for your careful consideration. Thank you very much.”
Harry Atkinson (left) and Lewis Meeson (right)
The families of both Mr Atkinson and Mr Meeson sat in the public gallery throughout the trial. Addressing them, the judge said: “I express my condolences to the family of Harry Atkinson and Lewis Meeson. I know how difficult this has been for you all to sit and listen to this.”
“This is a tragic case,” prosecutor David James told jurors in opening the case. “No one is suggesting that anyone went out that day with any intention to cause harm to anyone else. It is likely to challenge you emotionally.”
Mr James said that Ms Read was driving her Ford Kuga along High Barn Street, towards Royton town centre, just before 11am on Good Friday, April 15, 2022.
She was planning on turning right into Cardigan Street as she made her way to visit the hairdressers. At the same time, Mr Atkinson was riding a Suzuki motorbike from Middleton Road, through the traffic light governed junction and then onto High Barn Street. His friend Mr Meeson was sitting on the back as a pillion passenger.
Mr Atkinson had gone through a red light through the junction onto High Barn Street, jurors heard. The court was told that the bike was not road legal. It was an ‘off-road scrambler’ bike, and not designed to carry a pillion passenger.
Mr James said: “The motorcycle had priority in the lane it was travelling and there was nothing ahead or behind it. As the two vehicles approached the Cardigan Street junction from their respective directions, the defendant turned across the path of the motorcycle.
Minshull Street Crown Court(Image: MEN Media)
He added: “The Crown say this manoeuvre was far too close to the motorcycle. It appears to have caused Harry Atkinson to react to the car immediately in front of his motorcycle. The reaction caused Harry Atkinson and Lewis Meeson to fall from the motorcycle, possibly from Mr Atkinson dropping the bike in an effort to avoid a collision.”
The car and the bike collided, and Mr Atkinson and Mr Meeson both died at the scene. Jurors were told that Mr Atkinson had been wearing a helmet but it appeared that it had not been ‘done up’. Mr Meeson had not been wearing a helmet.
The court was told that Mr Atkinson had been driving the bike at about 45mph in a 30mph zone, and that he had used cannabis ‘at some unknown time’ prior to his death. Experts later concluded that the bike may have reached speeds of up to 60mph.
Ms Read underwent ‘impairment’ tests following the crash and all were negative. Her car was said to be in good working condition and essentially ‘brand new’.
In an interview with police, she told officers that she had not seen the motorcycle and only became aware of it when they collided. She accepted that visibility was good and was ‘unable to explain’ why she hadn’t seen the motorbike, the court heard.
Giving evidence, Ms Read said she was a ‘very careful and cautious driver’.
Summing up her evidence to jurors, Judge Greene said: “She said she thinks about the collision everyday. On April 15 she had a hair appointment. She said she checked her mirror and didn’t see the bike, she can’t explain why. She said she wouldn’t have turned if she saw the bike.
“She said she was not distracted by anything. She didn’t know where the bike had come from. She said she wasn’t taking a chance. She intended to turn right and nothing was there.”
Her barrister John Dye previously said in a closing speech that there was ‘no criminal act’ committed by his client. “This was not a crime, this was a tragic, tragic accident. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
Ms Read, of Luzley Brook Road, Royton, was found not guilty of two counts of causing death by careless driving.