Murder jury sees CCTV of driver buying pints before fatal cyclist collision

A motorist accused of murdering a cyclist deliberately swerved into him after drinking at least four pints of lager, Norwich Crown Court has heard. David Morgan denies murder but has admitted manslaughter.

Prosecutors allege that Morgan, 40, struck Richard Smith with his Mercedes CLA 180 Sport in Norwich on 8 May 2026, throwing him over the handlebars and causing fatal head injuries. Mr Smith, a father of three, died in hospital on 11 May.

CCTV released by the Crown Prosecution Service shows Morgan ordering drinks at about 1.39pm, just under four hours before the collision. The court heard that he drank at least four pints of 5 per cent Peroni lager that afternoon before driving to collect his children from school.

Mr Smith is alleged to have shouted at Morgan, who had been trying to overtake and undertake traffic at about 5pm.

Charles Myatt, prosecuting, said contact between Morgan’s car and Mr Smith’s bicycle was “not in dispute”. The question for the jury was “how exactly and why”.

On Wednesday, 4 November, the jury of nine women and three men heard the accounts Morgan gave police after his arrest at about 7pm on 8 May.

Morgan failed a roadside alcohol test, recording 57 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath against a legal limit of 35. He also failed a drugs test. He told police that he had drunk alcohol after the incident, not before it.

Following his arrest, Morgan called Mr Smith a “f idiot”. Interviewed the next day, he said he had been “in shock” after being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

He told officers that he had been “p off” because Mr Smith had hit his Mercedes. He said he “worked hard for my car”, describing it as the nicest he had owned, and insisted he “just wanted to say you’re a d head” for hitting it.

Giving his account of the collision, Morgan said there had been an altercation moments earlier. He then thought he was going to hit the kerb and did not want to “kerb my wheels” or “hit him”.

Morgan said he “moved right to not hit the kerb and carried on”. He maintained that he “didn’t hear anything” and only saw Mr Smith “sat on the verge” when he checked his rear-view mirror at the bottom of the road.

He told police: “I just thought he must’ve hit the kerb and fallen off.

“That’s not my fault.

“I had no intention to kill him or hit him.

“I did say ‘what’s your problem’ but I had no intention to do that.

“I didn’t think I’d hurt him or hit him.”

Asked whether he had deliberately driven into the cyclist, Morgan replied: “No, I did not.”

He added: “I want to make that adamant 100 per cent – I had no intention of hurting him, I just wanted to put my point across.”

Morgan, who had also denied drinking before the collision, said: “I hope he has a good recovery.

“I wouldn’t want the worst to happen.”

After Mr Smith’s death, his family described him as a “much-loved partner, dad, brother, son, friend and colleague”.

Their tribute said: “We are all struggling to make sense of such a tragic loss to all of our lives.

“Rich was a keen NCFC supporter, a blood and organ donor and a proud dad to his three children.

“We will remember him with love and kindness and for some truly terrible dance moves.”

Morgan, of Norwich, denies murder. The trial continues.