Saturday 18 April 2015

Spencer Bell: Charity worker killed as he helped suicide victim by speeding driver trying to beat traffic queue

An ex-policeman who ran to help a man who had leapt from a bridge onto the M1 was himself killed when he was struck by a speeding motorist who was trying to beat the line of traffic caused by the tragedy.

Spencer Bell, 71, a tireless charity worker, bravely ventured out onto the carriageway after other motorists had slowed and activated their hazard lights.
But as he tended the man who was already dead from the fall, Mr Bell was struck by Toyota Previa being driven by mother-of-three Iram Shahzad.
Yesterday a court heard she had sped up to the scene of the tragedy and then tried to get round the slowing cars on lanes one and two by veering out into lane three.
Travelling at speeds of between 82 and 88 miles per hour with two of her young children in the back of the car, she realised at the last moment the way ahead was blocked by two stationary vehicles.
But instead of stopping like the other drivers the young mother who was on her way to a funeral thought she could beat the hold up by breaking and swerving back into lane two.
It was there between the two lanes that Mr Bell was crouched at the feet of suicide victim Alan Tretheway, 67.
The Toyota with its brakes screeching and travelling at 46 miles per hour then slammed into Mr Bell sending him flying through the air, killing him instantly.
Today at St Albans crown court Mrs Shahzad, 32, pleaded to a single charge of causing the death of Mr Bell on the M1 motorway near Watford in Hertfordshire by careless driving.
Judge Martin Griffith sentenced her to 14 months imprisonment but suspended the term for two years.

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