Van driver caused death of Olympic athlete, York court hears

William Langley’s van crashed into decathlete Brad McStravick – who took part in two Olympic Games in the 1980s – as he road his bike in North Yorkshire.

Just hours earlier Mr McStravick had been told he had overcome cancer after years of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other treatment, a family statement said.

He was to have travelled to his niece’s wedding the next day.

Kathryn Walters, prosecuting, said the collision happened on a straight road and Langley would have had 16 seconds to see the cyclist but didn’t react.

The B6165 looking in the direction of Burnt Yates (Image: Google Street View)

Mr McStravick was cycling uphill on the B6165 towards Burnt Yates near Harrogate just after 6pm on August 20, 2024 on a route he knew well and had cycled many times.

Langley was behind him in a Ford Transit van and told police he didn’t see Mc McStravick until “he heard a big bang and saw a cyclist come up and over the bonnet,” she said.

A jogger behind the two heard the bang and saw Mr McStravick in the ditch and Langley stop the van and get out.

Mr McStravick was taken to Leeds General Infirmary and died of multiple injuries, ten minutes after his partner of 47 years arrived at his bedside, said Ms Walters.

A forensic collision investigator said the van was unroadworthy, but none of its defects contributed to the collision.

Langley’s solicitor Martin Townend said: “The sun was in his eyes. He just didn’t see the cyclist. The low sun in his eyes is the reason why he didn’t see the cyclist.”

Deputy district judge Nicholas Hayles told Langley the sun in his eyes meant he should have slowed down or stopped.

“You need to see where you are going and clearly Mr McStravick was there to be seen. Maybe it was difficult to see him, but you were driving a van with a responsibility to see where you were going,” he said.

Langley, 38, who lives on a road above Pateley Bridge, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He was given a 26-week prison sentence suspended for two years, fined £500 and ordered to pay a £154 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.  He was banned from driving for two years.

As he left court, he said his advice to any driver with the sun in their eyes was to: “Slow down and stop.” He said he had sent a letter of apology to Mr McStravick’s family to the court and had nothing more to say.

Mr Townend said Langley had himself been a cyclist but had given up because of the collision.

“He has thought about it everyday since it happened,” he said.

He had neurodivergent issues and was being treated by his GP for depression and anxiety.

He had no previous convictions and the collision had been the result of a momentary lapse.  There was no suggestion he had been speeding or on his mobile phone at the time of the collision.

Mr McStravick was 68 when he died.  As a decathlete, he was part of the Great Britain team at the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games, and the Scottish team at the 1982 and 1986 Commonwealth Games. After retiring from competition he coached young athletes, including York Olympian and 400m runner Richard Buck.