Tipper truck driver charged over death of Janina Gehlau at Ludgate Circus

A lorry driver from Willesden has appeared in court accused of causing the death of Janina Gehlau at Ludgate Circus reports London 24. A skip loader driven by Vincent Doyle collided with the 26-year-old cyclist as he turned left at the junction with Farringdon Street on October 17 last year. Gehlau, a history of arts student from Dusseldorf, Germany, died as a result of the collision.

Doyle appeared at City of London magistrates’ court this week charged with causing death by careless driving.

Prosecutor Kate Shilton said:

“Mr Doyle was driving his lorry south down Farringdon Street and collided with Ms Gehlau, a resident of Germany, who was visiting the UK.

“She was on a pedal cycle at the near side of the lorry. Mr Doyle turned left activating an automatic speaker system which said ‘this vehicle is turning left’. Ms Gehlau was also travelling south and wanted to go straight on in the cycle lane south along Farringdon Street. She was riding her bike along the cycle lane when the lorry collided with Ms Gehlau.”

Doyle will appear at the Old Bailey on July 27 for a plea and case management hearing. He has indicated that he would plead not guilty to the charge of causing death by dangerous driving but is yet to enter a plea to the charge of causing death by careless driving.

Gehlau had been working on a three-month volunteer project for her dissertation and according to her family had bought a second-hand bike to visit galleries and museums as she was unable to afford public transport. Following her death, they called on Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, to act urgently to reduce road danger in the city.

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