Elderly woman died days after cyclist sent her ‘flying’ on Thames towpath, court told

An 81-year-old woman died after a collision with a cyclist on a towpath sent her “flying through the air”, a court has heard.

Polly Friedhoff “sustained serious injuries to her head, arms and ribs” and died 12 days after Edward Bressan tried to overtake her on the left-hand side, as she walked with her friend Ewa Huggins near Iffley Lock, Oxford.

Mr Bressan, 56, told police he had rung a bell to signal to Mrs Friedhoff and her companion as he went to overtake the pair.

Yet giving evidence at Oxford Crown Court on Monday, Ms Huggins denied hearing any bell or shouts of warning from the cyclist.

Mr Bressan is charged with causing bodily harm by “wanton or furious driving” under the Offences Against Person Act (1861), a Victorian law originally designed to deal with horse-drawn carriages.

The previous government committed to changing the law so dangerous cyclists could face life in prison, as is the case for dangerous drivers. 

The new government said before the election that it would bring in tougher punishments for dangerous cyclists.

‘Driving of bicycle was reckless’

Opening the case, Andrew Jordan, prosecuting, said: “Mrs Friedhoff and Ewa were walking on the right-hand side of the path, and Mr Bressan attempted to overtake them on the left.

“It is that manoeuvre that will be the focus of your attention in this trial.

“You will hear differing versions of the position, speed and reaction of the parties, and as to whether there was any warning from Mr Bressan.”

Mr Jordan added: “The prosecution says that Mr Bressan’s driving of his bicycle was reckless and that in overtaking the ladies, he caused bodily harm to Mrs Friedhoff.”

Giving evidence, Ms Huggins said she had known Mrs Friedhoff for 40 years and said they were “very, very close friends” who took walks together “two or three times a week”.

Describing when the collision happened at around noon on Nov 20 2022, she said: “Polly was on my left, we were chatting, walking fairly close together, the path isn’t very wide and suddenly, I saw Polly basically flying in front of me and falling flat on to the towpath.”

Ms Huggins told the court how her friend was a “keen walker” and “pretty fit” despite underlying health conditions. 

She was wearing a “very colourful knitted, multicoloured short coat”.

She did not see the collision and later saw the cyclist, Mr Bressan, lying on top of his bike.

When asked if Mrs Friedhoff fell in front of her, Ms Huggins said: “Yes at an angle and with incredible force actually, I can still hear her scalp hit the ground.”

She added: “I can’t remember any shouting or bell-ringing before it happened.”

‘I actually thought she was dead’

Ms Huggins said her friend was unresponsive as they waited for paramedics to arrive. 

“I actually thought she was dead,” she told the jury.

“I was calling to her to squeeze my hand or blink, I knew she couldn’t speak, but there was no response whatsoever and there was a lot of blood coming out of her mouth.”

Questioning the witness, Kuljeet Dobe, for the defence, said: “I’m going to suggest that he did ring his bell and that you moved a little further to the right and said something to Polly, but she moved to the left suddenly but that’s when his bike made contact with her and that’s when she fell.”

Ms Huggins denied this was the case.

The trial continues.