Anger of woman whose leg was amputated when she was run over by Tesco lorry after driver was fined only £625
Victim's leg was amputated by lorry's wheel as her partner looked on
A MARATHON runner whose leg was amputated when she was hit by a Tesco lorry while cycling in London said the £625 fine given to the driver proves cyclists are “second class citizens on the roads”.
Midwife Julie Dinsdale was “hugely disappointed” by the leniency of the sentence handed to Florin Oprea, who had admitted driving with due care and attention.
As well as the fine Oprea was given five points on his licence.
Ms Dinsdale, 53, said: "I am hugely disappointed by the decision of the court which finds that, despite the evidence that I was visible to the driver, he should not be handed a more substantial sentence given the impact his actions have had on my life.
"What is of greatest concern to me is that the driver continues to drive HGVs and it was said during the recent court hearing that he was now working for Stobart.
"What has happened to me is devastating and I would hate for someone else to go through the same."
Ms Dinsdale was crushed under the wheels of his lorry as it turned across her path on October 4 last year.
Her right leg was immediately amputated by a front wheel in a traumatic scene witnessed by Ms Dinsdale’s partner Keith Bontrager who was riding behind.
After the accident Ms Dinsdale spent five weeks in hospital – she now has a prosthetic leg and uses a walking stick.
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Just days before the horrific collision a driving assessor had advised Oprea he needed to improve use of his mirrors.
Ms Dinsdale, who has run marathons and taken part in cycling events across the world, said the accident has changed her life.
Two years previously she had won the over-50s class of the San Francisco Marathon.
Ms Dinsdale, from Brixton, said: "Every aspect of my life remains difficult and my inability to return to work or pursue my sporting and active lifestyle is an immense loss to me and causes me great distress.”
She said the sentence shows that cyclists are treated as second class citizens.
Ms Dinsdale added: "Despite cycling now being one of the country's most loved sports, especially following the success of the British cycling team at successive Olympics and the growing popularity of cycling as a means of transport in London, cyclists remain second class citizens on the roads in the UK.
"This is reflected by the behaviour of drivers and the courts.”
Blackfriars Crown Court was told during a hearing on August 12 that Oprea had only been driving for Tesco for four days when the accident happened.
Ms Dinsdale’s solicitors Leigh Day said he had driven in the UK for just four months, previously working mainly in Italy.
Ms Dinsdale's lawyer, Sally Moore, said: "We will now be taking civil legal action against Mr Oprea and Tesco.
"It remains a problem at the core of British society that serious collisions involving cyclists are still regarded as 'par for the course' and appear to be treated as such by the courts."
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