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Old Bailey judge is questioned after crash puts cyclist in hospital
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent19.09.08
A senior Old Bailey judge is being questioned by police today after being involved in a car crash that left a cyclist in hospital.
Judge Brian Barker QC, the Common Serjeant of London, the second most senior position at the criminal court, was on his way to work this morning when the collision happened.
His top-of-the-range Saab, complete with personalised number plates, was in contact with the cyclist yards from the court entrance.
The cyclist was taken to University College Hospital with shoulder injuries, while the judge, a father of three, was spoken to by City of London police officers.
A force spokesman said: "We are investigating a road traffic collision involving a car and a cyclist at the junction of Ludgate Hill and Ava Maria Lane. The incident took place at around
8.30am. There have been no arrests and details have been taken." A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 8.36am to Ava Maria Lane to reports of a road traffic collision involving a car and a bicycle.
"We sent one ambulance and a cycle responder to the scene. A 25-year-old male was taken to University College Hospital with shoulder injuries."
The judge is one of the most popular figures at the Old Bailey and is renown for his quiet sense of humour. He lists his hobbies as golf and sheep rearing.
Judge Barker was called to the Bar in 1969 and was a leading criminal barrister excelling as a prosecutor and a defender. He took silk in 1990.
A former chairman of the Criminal Bar Association and a Freeman of the City of London, he was appointed Common Serjeant at the Old Bailey in 2005 and, as such, has presided over some of England's most notorious criminal cases.
Judge Barker is married to Mrs Justice Rafferty QC, one of the country's few female High Court judges.
Ann Rafferty prosecuted Michael Stone, who murdered members of Josie Russell's family, and, as a judge, presided over the trials of royal butler Paul Burrell and teacher Sion Jenkins.
Reader views (6)
Im sure he was 'helping' with police enquiries! he does a lot to 'help' the police! No charges ay!!! convenient!Im sure he will/has returned the favor!
- A.A, surrey
I think all cyclists should be banned from the use of the public highway. 3 Reasons: They don't look were they are going when they are on the road. They go through red lights then have the cheek to say it's not their fault when they hit a pedestrian at the crossing who has the right of way and they not the cars are the biggest cause of congestion because when they weave in and out of the London traffic they slow it down which causes congestion which therefore causes pollution. And my personal hate they have the cheek to slag of motorcyclists because they are jealous that they can weave in and out of traffic quicker than them.
My point being IT WILL ALWAYS BE THE CYCLISTS FAULT.
- J G, High Wycombe UK
Steve, you made me laugh out loud on a gloomy Monday morning. Thank you!
- We, Kent, UK
Steve, anyone driving a top of the range Saab with a personalised number plate is clearly guilty of something.
- C. Nichol, London
Ehhhh... how can you make comments about the car he drives... (top-of-the-range Saab, with personalised number plates)
Do Saab make such a top of the range car....?
It was proberbly the cycleist at fault not the car owner
Long live the car...
- Dave, London
"His top-of-the-range Saab, complete with personalised number plates"
Ah...there you go, if it had been a bog standard Ford with non-personalised number plate he would have missed the cyclist.
Those pesky top-of-the-range-personalised-number-plate-Saabs are killers.
- Steve, London
