A 16-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and unlawfully killing the rider of a stolen motorcycle this week.
The death occurred in Bristol earlier this spring when Michael Rice was riding a stolen motorcycle and wearing no motorcycle helmet. Rice was seen speeding along the road near the Fulford House pub in Hartcliffe, Bristol. The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reason, contributed to Rice’s death by placing a yellow YoBike in the road in front of his speeding motorcycle.
Despite braking heavily, a witness described Rice trying to wheelie over the motorcycle, hitting it at approximately 50mph. At that point, Rice was catapulted over the bars and into the back of a parked van. Rice was pronounced dead at the scene, suffering fatal head and neck injuries.
The prosecution in the case is pushing for a conviction of murder for the 16-year-old. As they believe by dropping the bike where he did, he intended to not just to knock the motorcyclist off the motorcycle, but to cause him a serious injury or possibly death.
Bristol Live reported that an HGV driver who saw Rice shortly before the accident said, “I thought you plonker, you are going to kill yourself or someone else".
On the same site, it’s reported Rice’s mother paid tribute to her ‘cheeky’ and ‘loving’ son. She said. “My boy was taken away from me. He was a loving, caring son, brother, boyfriend and grandson. He would have helped anyone.
“A part of me has gone, I can’t believe I am never going to see him again. We’re all heartbroken. I feel numb, his little sister always chats about him.”
The sentencing of the 16-year-old defendant continues today.
