Shamed cyclist who hit elderly woman and left her to die found dead in woods
A shamed cyclist has been found dead in woodland after being jailed for knocking down an elderly church minister on a pavement - and leaving her to die.
Retired teacher Jane Stone, 79, died from serious head injuries after being struck in the high speed bicycle hit-and-run while on an evening walk.
Cyclist Stewart McGinn, 30, hit Mrs Stone head-on as he careered round a corner while cutting onto a pavement.
McGinn was jailed for 12 months in July last year but went missing after being released from prison midway through the term.
Police put out a missing person appeal after he was last seen near his home address in Monmouth, South Wales, on Tuesday.
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Jane Stone died after suffering serious head injuries (WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Mrs Stone was knocked down while on an evening walk (WALES NEWS SERVICE)But today the Gwent force said: "A body of a man was discovered in woodland. Formal identification has yet to take place, however we have notified the family of Stewart McGinn.
"We’re not treating the death as suspicious at this time, and a report has been prepared for the coroner."
McGinn denied fleeing the scene but the court heard Mrs Stone had no way of avoiding the crash and died in hospital four days after being injured after walking home from the cinema on a warm summer's evening.
Prosecutor James Wilson said McGinn - who only had one working brake on his bike - came round the corner "at speed" and collided with her.
He said: "She fell to the ground landing on her head and suffered a severe fractured skull. The defendant did not stop or offer any assistance but cycled away."
Mrs Stone's friend Janet Bromley said Jane was "poleaxed" to the ground by the force of the blow and was left "her eyes rolling and mouth frothing".
A CCTV image of the incident (WALES NEWS SERVICE)Mr Wilson said Mrs Bromley told police: "He collided with Jane's body, the front of the bike collided with the front of Jane's body.
"It knocked her hands raised past her body which was pushed back violently.
"Her feet were lifted off the ground it caused her head to poleaxe to the ground and I heard an almighty crack as her head struck the pavement."
Mr Wilson told Cardiff Crown Court that after the collision last June father-of-one McGinn stayed on the mountain bike and rode off to his mother-in-law's house.
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He said: "Mrs Bromley shouted to him I'm on my own, please help me but he ignored her and continued to ride away."
McGinn only handed himself into police 10 days after the crash in Monmouth, South Wales, and falsely told officers he stopped to help Mrs Stone to her feet and check she was ok.
He later admitted causing bodily harm to Jane Stone by "wanton or furious driving while being in charge of a bicycle" under the 1861 offences against a person act.
Stewart McGinn was jailed for 12 months (WALES NEWS SERVICE)A victim impact statement from Mrs Stone's brother David Bruton said his sister was not "a frail old lady" and was "healthy and active" who would go on long distance walks and took part in swimming and yoga.
Ben Waters, defending, said: "He will have to live with the consequences of his actions and causing the death of another person."
Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke told McGinn he showed "flagrant disregard for the safety of others."
She jailed McGinn for one year - saying the maximum sentence was two years - and banned him from driving for two years and six months.
She told him: "You were on the pavement riding far too fast and collided with Jane Stone with considerable force.
"You gave no warning as to your approach and they saw no lights on your bicycle.
"You rode on the pavement and rode very fast around the corner when you knew you could not see if anyone was there - they stood no chance of avoiding you."
She said "this was not a momentary inattention" and McGinn made "a deliberate decision to ignore or disregard the rules of the road which apply just as well to cyclists as other road users."
McGinn, of Monmouth, was charged under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act.
Judge Lloyd-Clarke said no sentence she could pass would ease the pain felt by Mrs Stone's family.
She said: "She gave her time to help others and her loss will be felt by many people for a very long time."
Widow Mrs Stone's family paid tribute to her following the tragedy in her hometown of Monmouth, South Wales, and described her as "very caring and active."
A statement said: “She was healthy and physically active, only a few years ago abseiling down the church tower to raise funds.
"Having been born and brought up in Monmouth she trained in London as a teacher, in which profession she was well respected and appreciated.
"In retirement and being a widow, she returned to her roots, involving herself with great enthusiasm in many aspects of Monmouth life.
“She was a past Churchwarden of St. Thomas’s Church, was a Lay Eucharistic Minister, Sacristan and heavily involved in all church activities, helping and supporting members of the community as needed.
“She enjoyed long distance walking, setting herself the challenge of completing 1,000 miles per year and was currently tackling, with her walking friend, Offa’s Dyke from South to North Wales.
“Jane was a well-loved member of the family and closely followed the lives of her great nieces and nephews.”
Her church paid tribute to "full of life" Jane who they described as a "supportive and tireless" churchwarden.
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