AN EYEWITNESS who told a jury a woman ‘lost her balance’ as opposed to being knocked over by a cyclist, causing her death, was accused of being biased by the prosecution.
Oxford University lecturer, Professor Nicholas Proudfoot, was accused of being biased towards cyclists during the trial of Edward Bressan who is accused of causing injury to 81-year-old Polly Friedhoff on the River Thames towpath last November by cycling ‘wantonly or furiously’ on his B’Twin bicycle.
Ms Friedhoff was ‘knocked’ by Bressan and fell to the ground after the collision near Iffley Lock on November 20, 2022. She died in hospital 12 days later.
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The 56-year-old cyclist, of Newton Road, Oxford, denies the offence, stating he rang his bell and gave adequate warning but she ‘stepped into his path’.
During the trial at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday (July 10), Professor Proudfoot, who was cycling in the area at the time, said it was his ‘impression’ that Ms Friedhoff had lost her balance as opposed to being knocked over.
He said during a call to police that he wanted to ‘protect the cyclist’, leading to the prosecution accusing the professor of being biased.
Edward Bressan outside court (Image: Oxford Mail) Professor Proudfoot made a call to police several days after the incident after a police appeal for information and witnesses was made after the collision.
In the call, he said: “My impression wasn’t that the bike collided with her but she had lost her balance.
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“She just flipped right over, she didn’t put out her hand out to stop herself at all, she just ended straight on the concrete path, the impact going unfortunately on her heard.
“The cyclist was not a hit-and-run kind of guy. He was very concerned and very much involved and trying to care for her.
“I just want to protect the cyclist.”
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In cross-examination, prosecution barrister Andrew Jordan asked the professor if he was ‘pro-cyclist’ and if so if he considered his account to be biased.
The professor said he would ‘definitely describe’ himself as ‘a pro-cyclist’ but denied being biased, saying his positive views are more ‘to do with the media and press’ which he believes takes an ‘anti-cyclist’ view.
“It’s a wonderful way to get around when it’s done safely,” he said.
“I think it’s very nice for cyclists to go on the towpath.
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“Cyclists do need to cycle with care and attention.”
Professor Proudfoot was asked he had seen the collision but he said he hadn’t.
The jury have now retired.
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