A body has been found in a woodland in the search for a cyclist who crashed into a pensioner and left her to die on the pavement. Stewart McGinn, 30, struck Jane Stone, 79, in a high speed bicycle hit-and-run in Monmouth, South Wales on June 7, 2021.
The church minister and retired teacher, who had been out on a evening walk, suffered serious head injuries and tragically died four days later in hospital. McGinn was sentenced to 12 months in prison in July last year, but released half way the term.
However, he was later reported missing after being last seen near his home address in Monmouth on Tuesday, the Mirror reports. A police search was launched, with authorities confirming earlier today that a body had been found.
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."
McGuinn denied fleeing the scene after hitting Mrs Stone on his bike, who was walking home from the cinema at the time of the collision. Prosecutor James Wilson said McGinn - who only had one working brake on his bike - came round the corner "at speed" and crashed into 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 collision and was left "her eyes rolling and mouth frothing". 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."
Cardiff Crown Court heard how dad-of-one McGinn stayed on the mountain bike following the crash and fled to his mother-in-law's house. Mr Wilson said: "Mrs Bromley shouted to him I'm on my own, please help me but he ignored her and continued to ride away."
McGuinn handed himself over to authorities 10 days after the crash. He initially lied to officers and told them he had stopped to help Mrs Stone and check she was okay.
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. Mrs Stone's brother, David Bruton, said in a witness statement that his sister was not "a frail old lady" and was "healthy and active" who would go on long 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 sentenced McGinn to one year in prison - 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."
However, Judge Lloyd-Clarke added that no sentence she could pass would alleviate 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."
Following her death, Mrs Stone's family paid tribute to the much loved member of community 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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