Reuben Richardson (pictured) left the cyclist to die in the street in Deptford, south London, after crushing the 51-year-old under his wheels
A driver who knocked down and killed a cyclist whilst on his phone travelling the wrong way up a one way street has been jailed for eight years.
Antonio Marchesini was wearing a high-vis vest while patrolling the cycle lane to stop accidents as the road had only been made one-way three months earlier.
He was hit by Reuben Richardson who went right over him, crushing his chest and abdomen and then fled the scene.
The 38-year-old accelerated to try and free the trapped bike, before dumping his ex-partner’s silver B-class Mercedes and running away.
Mr Marchesini, 51 was pronounced dead at the scene in Deptford, south London, less than 45 minutes after the crash.
The Italian-born tech worker spoke five languages and spent his spare time volunteering in orphanages for the Red Cross and teaching disadvantaged teens foreign languages, Woolwich Crown Court heard.
Career criminal Richardson, who was on licence from prison at the time of the crash, was traced to an address nearby after his ex said he was the only one with the car keys.
He gave a false name and after his arrest refused to talk in interview or engage with the probation service.
But cell phone data confirmed Richardson was on the phone at 4.13pm when the collision happened. He pleaded guilty in August and was today jailed for eight years.
Footage shown at Woolwich Crown Court during sentencing revealed how Richardson crashed into his victim and kept on driving. Prosecutor Deanna Heer said the collision happened at on 3 June 2018.
She said: ‘The deceased, a keen cyclist, was patrolling the cycle route. The junction at Rolt Street, Deptford, had three months before the incident changed to a one way street.
‘The cycle path, which could be accessed still in either direction, was put in alongside it. There were clear no entry signs preventing entry from south to north.
‘The weather conditions were dry and bright. The deceased wore a yellow high visibility jacket and was patrolling the cycle route.
Antonio Marchesini (pictured) spoke five languages and volunteered teaching children when before he was killed in Deptford
‘Concerned there might be an accident, he was warning incoming drivers about the change to a one way system. He flagged down one car who can be seen on the CCTV to make a three point turn.
‘Witnesses saw the silver Mercedes drive erratically, with one calling him acting like a ‘bloody idiot’.
‘One witness, who was with her children, heard a loud cracking noise. When she looked she saw the deceased was on the ground and shouted at her kids not to look.
‘Members of the public tried everything they could to help the deceased before paramedics arrived but his life was pronounced extinct at the scene just before 5pm.’
Mr Marchesini’s cause of death was pronounced to be due to blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen.
When police went to the address the car was registered to, it was his ex-partner’s home who told officers Richardson was the only other person to have keys.
Officers then went to an address on Evelyn Street near where the collision took place and Richardson provided a false name.
When Richardson was arrested more than three weeks later on 26 June, he was uncooperative and stayed completely silent in interviews.
Defence counsel Frida Hussain said: ‘He says he simply did not see the victim. He says he’s sorry and he knows nothing he can say will alleviate the pain and suffering caused. He did not intend to cause serious harm to the victim.’
Luciano Marchesini, the victim’s 80-year-old father, said Antonio graduated with a degree in engineering and moved to London aged 19, where he lived for more than 30 years.
In a victim impact statement, he said: ‘Antonio liked travelling and spoke five languages. He was altruistic and cared about others.
‘He supplied medicines to the British Red Cross using his own money. Both Italy and the UK have lost an excellent citizen.
‘When I received a phone call from the Italian embassy in London about my son, I felt like I was going to die.
‘We used to love going out like anyone else does. Now the only time we go out is when we go to church. We spend our days thinking about our only son, sharing stories and memories.
‘I don’t know how we can begin to cope with the death. We spoke every day to him on Skype. Now we will never hear his voice and only see his face in photographs we have in our home.’
The court heard how Richardson had 13 previous convictions for 21 offences. He has spent the better part of the last decade in prison for robbery and assaults, including the robbery of a cash in transit operator.
Judge Nicholas Heathcote Williams QC, passing sentence, said: ‘Your driving was appalling. I consider this at the most serious level of dangerousness.
‘You deliberately drove dangerously in a way that caused death. You showed complete disregard to the danger caused to others. More, as a cyclist, the deceased was a vulnerable user of the road.
‘Your previous convictions show a history of aggressively promoting your own short term interests and a readiness to endanger others.
‘Not only were you driving dangerously, you did so while you were on licence and were driving without a licence and insurance. You failed to report the incident.
‘You also used a false name when confronted with police officers and absconded at the first opportunity. Mr Marchesini was in no way responsible for the collision.
‘You are a selfish man. The sympathy you claim you feel is shallow. I accept you feel sad, but I suspect you feel sad for yourself as you will be in prison for a very long time.’
Richardson was sentenced to eight years in prison and a further four years on licence, with a possibility for parole at the earliest date of five years and four months. His driving licence will also be revoked.
As the sentence was read out, Richardson – dressed in a black suit and Hugo Boss jumper – stormed out of the courtroom to return to the court cells.
Judge Heathcote Williams added: ‘I express sympathy for the family and friends of Mr Marchesini. He was a loved public servant who contributed to the UK and to the wider world.’