A cyclist killed an elderly woman after crashing into her as he tried to overtake her as she walked along the River Thames towpath with a friend, a court heard

A cyclist killed an 81-year-old woman after crashing into her as he tried to overtake her as she walked with a friend along the River Thames towpath in Oxford, a court heard.

Polly Friedhoff was “practically catapulted” into the air when she was hit from behind by Edward Bressan, 56, jurors were told.

She suffered serious head, arm and rib injuries and died in hospital 12 days after the accident.

Bressan pleaded not guilty to a charge of “causing bodily harm by reckless or frantic driving”, an offense under the Offenses Against the Person Act 1861.

The prosecution says the cyclist was “reckless” and told the jury that “the case is about the nature of Mr Bressan’s cycling”.

Bressan, who went before Oxford Crown Court on Monday, claims he rang the doorbell to signal his presence but she accidentally got in his way and the pair collided.

Jurors were told Ms Friedhoff was walking with her friend Ewa Huggins near Iffley Lock on November 20, 2022, when the collision happened at 12.40pm.

Opening the case yesterday, prosecutor Andrew Jordan said the women were walking on the right when Bressan tried to overtake them on the left.

Mr Jordan told the jury: “It is this maneuver that will be the focus of your attention in this trial. You will hear different versions of the attitude, speed and reaction of the parties and whether Mr Bressan was given any warning.’

Ms Huggins said Ms Friedhoff was “propelled forward” by the impact.

She said: “We were walking quite close to each other and all of a sudden I saw Polly basically fly in front of me and fall onto the towpath.

“She landed at an angle, with incredible force.

“She didn’t have enough time to extend her arms, she just straightened up and fell on her face about a meter away from me.

“She lay down very uncomfortably across the road with one arm twisted quite badly.

Ms Huggins said the bike fell next to her and Bressan was lying on top of it.

“He looked at me with a look of fear on his face,” she said. “I didn’t see the man hit Polly, I only saw the aftermath after she was practically ejected. She was very badly injured and could not speak. I actually thought she was dead.’

The court heard that Bressan was distraught and sobbing when emergency services arrived at the scene.

Bressan was interviewed by police and told officers that he had tried to signal his presence to the women before trying to overtake them, but that Ms Friedhoff had accidentally moved in front of him.

Prosecutor Jordan told jurors: “He explained that he intended to overtake the ladies, that he rang the bell on his bike and that although Ewa moved to the right and signaled Polly to do the same, Polly did in fact move. into the path of his bike as he tried to overtake.’

Ms Huggins told jurors she did not recall hearing a bell or shouting from the cyclist, nor did she remember Ms Friedhoff moving left into his path.

Mr Jordan said: “The prosecution alleges that Mr Bressan’s cycling was reckless and that he caused Ms Friedhoff bodily harm by overtaking the ladies.”

Bressan is charged with careless cycling and causing bodily harm by “reckless and frantic driving”.

He is also accused of causing bodily harm with intent, which he denies.

The trial, which is expected to last four days, continues.