Long sentences for men guilty of Graham Thwaites' road rage death

Published: 06 August, 2010
by DAVID ST GEORGE

FIVE men involved in the horrific road rage death of a popular bank worker who worked in Finsbury have been given long jail sentences at the Old Bailey. 

Their “totally innocent” victim was cycling home from work when a car smashed into him as two vehicles went at breakneck speeds.

Father of two Graham Thwaites, who worked for Lloyds in Chiswell Street, was tragically only yards from his destination when he was mown down.

The occupants of the two cars were involved in a private dispute over money and Mr Thwaites, 51, “just got in the way.” 

Prosecutor Mark Heywood, QC, said: “He did not even know them and did not see them coming. He suffered catastrophic injuries when his bike was rammed, hurling him on to the bonnet and roof of one vehicle.” 

Mr Thwaites lived with his family in St Paul’s Cray, Kent. He travelled by train from the City and collected his bike at his local station as usual on September 18 2008. 

He was pedalling when he was struck by a Mitsubishi driven “crazily” by Andrew Carlisle. He was sentenced to 11 years.

A jury heard that Carlisle was being chased by a Vauxhall Vectra driven by Shane Webb, 24, with three passengers. Webb was sentenced to 12 years.

Carlisle, 35, of  Mottingham, south east London, had fallen out with the others over the price of a £200 Rottweiler pup, and they sped through narrow residential streets, shunting each other. The five, four of them with addresses in Kent, were convicted of manslaughter. 

Carlisle and Webb were in the dock with William Dennard, 24, and George Webb, 27, who each received six year sentences, and David Cook, 25, who got five and a half years. All were banned from the roads for varying periods.

Mr Thwaites’ widow Hazel said: “I was praying they would all be found guilty. The verdict brings total relief. They should never be allowed back on the roads again.”