Racehorse shot dead after it was hit by Frenchman who drove like a grandmother

A Frenchman, with a reputation for driving 'like a grandmother', has been fined £500 after his careless driving resulted in the death of a £25,000 racehorse. Bristol Crown Court heard that engineering manager Rodolphe Lafargue drove his company BMW near Upton Cheney in south Gloucestershire following the closure of a main road. Lafargue claimed to be driving at 30mph, but the court was told that when he saw six-year-old racehorse Grand Lad being ridden towards him, Lafargue braked, slid on mud and caused the horse to rear and throw its rider.

The £25,500 horse suffered a broken leg and bolted some 800m down the lane where, about an hour later, a huntsman shot it. Lafargue, 31 of London, denied dangerous driving but pleaded guilty to careless driving on March 24. The Recorder of Bristol His Honour Judge Neil Ford QC fined him, told him to pay a £50 victim surcharge and endorsed his driving licence with four penalty points. The judge told him: "You were driving appropriately on this lane but failed to notice a change in road conditions, which was a muddy, wet area of road. You were not in a hurry. You stayed at the scene and offered assistance to the rider. You were very shaken, yourself, by the incident."



James Bromige, prosecuting, said owner and trainer Jack Cann was exercising Grand Lad on Marshfield Road towards Upton Cheney. Mr Cann was not wearing high-visibility clothes, the weather was dry and fine but the lane was muddy and wet in patches, the court heard. Mr Bromige said: "Mr Cann saw the defendant's BMW 150m away. He didn't hear the car because of the trot of the horse. He thought it was travelling a bit quick. He said the car started to weave." The court heard Mr Cann tried to get the horse as close to the side of the lane as possible, and kept it moving forwards to try not to spook it. It was the Crown's case that the BMW hit the horse, which reared up and threw the rider before landing and breaking its right hind leg and bolting.

Mr Cann and others tried to comfort the stricken animal as it lay in a hedge. However, the horse was shot dead. Jonathan Coode, defending, said his client was returning to his office after a meeting and was not tired. Mr Coode said: "He came to be on Marshfield Lane because of the closure of the main road. There was a diversion in place. He used his Sat Nav and he goes down this lane for two to three miles. He has been described by others as driving like a grandmother. He was going at 30mph on the straight, he slowed for the bend and unfortunately there was no sign saying 'mud on the road' and his culpability was he failed to notice the mud. It was only the mud that caused the car to slide, some metres."