Family anger over fine for cyclist

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Jason Howard, 36, was fined £2,200 on Tuesday after he was found guilty of dangerous cycling. He hit 17-year-old Rhiannon Bennett, who struck her head on the pavement as she fell and died of her injuries.

Speaking outside court, her father, Mick Bennett, told the BBC Howard was an "arrogant and vile little man" who should have faced manslaughter charges and been jailed for several years.

He said: "It's laughable - when we first heard about this we thought it would be manslaughter, or perhaps even murder, but this is Britain."

Her mother Maureen told the broadcaster "words cannot express" how upset the family was.

Howard, of Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, hit Rhiannon as she walked with friends in Buckingham in April last year. He was fined £300 less than the maximum.

He shouted at the youngsters to "move, because I'm not stopping" but rode into Rhiannon, Aylesbury Magistrates Court heard.

The court heard that he could have swerved to avoid the girl but told police he thought a shout would be enough to avoid the collision.

Howard was cycling on the road when he approached the group but the court heard conflicting evidence about whether he mounted the kerb at any point during the incident.

Speaking outside court, Sgt Dominic Mahon of Thames Valley Police told the BBC Howard could have been travelling at about 17mph when he struck Rhiannon.