Ex-soldier jailed for knocking granddad off his bike after road rage row in Holmfirth

Motorist Michael Gledhill was jailed for four years eight months for causing the death by dangerous driving of cyclist John Radford.

Gledhill took exception to Mr Radford’s position on Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, in July 2013, pulled up beside him and started an argument.

After the row, Mr Radford, 69, cycled off, but Gledhill hit the back of his bike, causing him to fall in the road and suffer catastrophic brain damage.

Gledhill was initially convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

But before he was sentenced, Mr Radford, who had been in a persistent vegetative state since the incident, died in November last year.

Gledhill was then charged with causing death by dangerous driving, which he admitted.

He was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court by Judge Christopher Batty on Tuesday.

After the sentencing, Mr Radford’s daughters, Emma Boyes and Helen Gorman, said: “If Michael Gledhill hadn’t used his car as a weapon on 31 July 2013, our dad would still be alive.

“Dad’s death was unnecessary and today’s outcome doesn’t change anything for us as a family.

“As a family we had to watch dad struggle and suffer on a journey that ended with the worst possible outcome.

“Eventually Mr Gledhill will return to his family and resume a normal family life.

“Sadly, we will never get our dad back and are only left with memories of a loving dad, granddad, husband and brother.

“We hope that today’s result will remind all drivers that road rage and impatience can end in death.”

Mr Radford was the chairman of the Huddersfield branch of the cycling charity, CTC.

Gledhill, 24, was also disqualified from driving for four years.

Mitigating, Nicholas Johnson said that it was likely that Gledhill was suffering in post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Afghanistan.