Bracknell motorcyclist crash trial: Messages revealed

Christopher Burn, Terry Fox, Simon Parsons, John Murdoch, and Neil Woodliffe were charged by police after the crash on July 20, 2021, on the southbound slip road off the A3095 in Bracknell. It is alleged that the group, which had met at a service station in London Road earlier that day, had been driving at dangerously high speeds when Ruth Harrison, a woman in her 30s, lost control of her bike and crossed the central reservation. She was hit by oncoming traffic and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Now, the five men who were driving alongside Ruth on the day of the crash are standing trial for driving dangerously. It is alleged they drove at speeds of 125mph on residential roads. Fox, 40, and Woodliffe, 43, have also been charged with intent to pervert the course of justice after allegedly hiding their body-worn camera footage from police after the incident.

In a WhatsApp group message, which some of the defendants and Ruth were apart of, their were discussions about meeting up to ride and wearing cameras. It is the prosecution's case, that some of the messages were as follows. Woodliffe said he would 'charge the camera' ahead of meeting up.

Burn then said: "Need to be a bit a wary with the cameras, the police are on it at the moment. Mount them on your bodies so they can't seize them. "If they are on the bike they can seize them.

Silly little rule but could save someone's licence." Fox then allegedly wrote: "F*** the police" to which Woodliffe responded: "Woop, woop." Following the incident, the defendants shared messages about the crash with one man, who is not on trial, writing: "Not brilliant, all the 'what ifs' in my head right now.

"What if I told her to take it easy?" Woodliffe typed: "I keep thinking, 'What if?'" Another unnamed member of the group said: "Can we all agree to treat that bend with more respect in the future?"

The group then agreed to meet at a restaurant later on in the week in Ruth's memory.

Camera footage was mentioned in the aftermath, with one member suggesting they were too shook up to review it at the time.

The trial at Reading Crown Court continues.

References

^ Bracknell motorcyclists on trial for dangerous driving (www.bracknellnews.co.uk)
^ Man caught with extreme pornographic image involving animal (www.bracknellnews.co.uk)
^ Winter Carnival opens with fun fair, food and entertainment (www.bracknellnews.co.uk)