A court has heard how GPS data from a headteacher’s smartwatch could show the moment he was allegedly hit by a car.

By Isabel Munday

Simon Richardson, 34, stands accused of the murder of Michael Mullins, 56, who had been the Headteacher of Stretford Grammar school in Trafford for 17 years. Mullins died after he was involved in collision on Paddock Lane in Altrincham in April this year.

Richardson pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and the lesser charges of manslaughter and dangerous driving. The court heard how Richardson allegedly failed to stop and instead ‘put his foot down’, going over 60mph in a 30mph zone as Mullins was dragged under the car for 1.3 miles before Richardson fled the scene.

Manchester’s Minshull Crown Court witnessed GPS expert Dr Chaz Dixon being cross-examined by Richardson’s defence barrister, Jamie Hamilton. Dixon told the court how he examined data from Mullin’s Apple watch from a police spreadsheet following the incident.

Dixon explained how he used ‘longitude and latitude co-ordinates and timings’ to track Mullins movements as he cycled home from Stretford Grammar School that day. The courtroom was shown a graph showing the speed Mullins was travelling, tracked by the Apple watch. The graph indicated a 23 second pause at 6:07pm.

‘It would appear that this is around the time of the collision?’ Hamilton asked

‘Right’ Replied Dixon.

After being asked whether this unusual pause could be a malfunction, Dixon said,

‘There had been no previous evidence of the watch malfunctioning,’

Mullins was the headteacher of Stretford Grammar school for 17 years- picture by Isabel Munday

A spike in speed data on the graph appears after the 23-second pause. Described as ‘mad speeds’ the graph shows Mullins travelling unusually fast after the collision. Prosecution allege this shows the period Mullins was dragged down the road under Richardson’s car, leaving a trail of blood over a mile long, followed by witnesses at the scene.

At 6:14pm, the watch collects intermittent data, Richardson’s barrister points out the watch is not recording every second. Dr Dixon said it was ‘remarkable’ the watch was still partly working after the incident.

Finishing the cross-examination Dixon said, ‘I have no reason to doubt that the records are not accurate and proper.’

The collision occurred on Paddock Lane, near the junction of Warburton Lane and Dunham Road. Mullins was found and later pronounced dead on Wet Gate Lane- Google Maps

The trail continues at Manchester crown court over the coming days.