Barclays banker killed biker when he ‘carelessly’ drove into road

A Barclays investment banker accidentally killed a motorcyclist when he ‘carelessly’ drove his Land Rover out into a road and sent the biker flying, a court heard today.

Derek Shakespeare, 52, a managing director at Barclays, is accused of ‘not looking properly’ when his £55,000 4×4 accelerated from a junction and into the path of Peter Lowe on the A343 in Nether Wallop, near Andover, Hampshire.

Mr Lowe, 32, was knocked off his red Yamaha and sent sliding down the road, which has a 40mph speed limit, Winchester Crown Court heard. 

He instantly lost consciousness and never recovered from his ‘multiple injuries’.

Derek Shakespeare (above, outside Winchester Crown Court today), 52, a managing director at Barclays, is accused of ‘not looking properly’ when his Land Rover accelerated from a junction and into the path of Peter Lowe on the A343 in Nether Wallop, near Andover, Hants. He denies causing death by careless driving

Peter Lowe (pictured), 32, was knocked off his red Yamaha and sent sliding down the road, which has a 40mph speed limit, the court heard. He instantly lost consciousness and never recovered from his 'multiple injuries'

Peter Lowe (pictured), 32, was knocked off his red Yamaha and sent sliding down the road, which has a 40mph speed limit, the court heard. He instantly lost consciousness and never recovered from his ‘multiple injuries’

Shakespeare, who has more than 20 years’ experience in City banking, told police he ‘thought it was clear’ and the first he knew of the accident was when he ‘heard a bang’ as he smashed into Mr Lowe.

The senior banker is accused of killing Mr Lowe at the A343 crossroad while behind the wheel of his black Land Rover Discovery XS.

Cambridge-educated Shakespeare is managing director and co-head of Barclays’ highly successful Mergers and Acquisitions business in the UK.

The father-of-three is understood to still be employed by Barclays, having worked for the British bank since 2010.

Shakespeare has enjoyed a successful City career in banking since 1989 – holding senior roles at banks including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, DLJ and Natwest.

According to Companies House, Shakespeare is director of a number of  companies including a yachting firm, a yacht racing club and a trust which oversees a prestigious private boarding school.

The school – Walhampton School in Lymington – is one of the most sought-after preparatory schools in Hampshire, which costs up to £8,670 per term.

The school, in Hampshire’s New Forest National Park, lists Shakespeare as chairman of the finance committee on the board of governors, with interests including ‘sailing, hockey, making music, travel and country pursuits’.

Opening the case today at Winchester Crown Court, prosecutor Daniel Sawyer said Mr Lowe was travelling westbound on the A343 (above) when Shakespeare pulled out and hit him at 7pm on October 28, 2018

Opening the case today at Winchester Crown Court, prosecutor Daniel Sawyer said Mr Lowe was travelling westbound on the A343 (above) when Shakespeare pulled out and hit him at 7pm on October 28, 2018

Shakespeare lives nearby in Walhampton in a large country house thought to be worth at least £2million.

Mr Lowe, from Porton, Wiltshire, was previously described by his family as a loving uncle who ‘was always full of fun and life, compassionate and caring’.

Opening the case today at Winchester Crown Court, prosecutor Daniel Sawyer said Mr Lowe was travelling westbound when Shakespeare pulled out and hit him at 7pm on October 28, 2018.

Moments before, he had seen a car drive past, from right to left, and ‘assumed the road was clear’ but failed to see Mr Lowe behind the vehicle.

Mr Sawyer said: ‘As Mr Lowe got to the crossroad, a Land Rover driven by Shakespeare pulled out into the road and hit Mr Lowe.

‘Mr Lowe was knocked off his bike and he and his bike slid along the road. He was knocked unconscious and suffered multiple injuries. He didn’t ever regain consciousness.

Father-of-three Derek Shakespeare is understood to still be employed by Barclays, having worked for the British bank since 2010. He lives in Walhampton in a large country house (above) thought to be worth at least £2million

Father-of-three Derek Shakespeare is understood to still be employed by Barclays, having worked for the British bank since 2010. He lives in Walhampton in a large country house (above) thought to be worth at least £2million

‘The obvious question is why did Shakespeare pull out when it was not clear? The answer seems very clear – he did not see Mr Lowe.

‘The prosecution say that was because he didn’t look carefully enough and this lack of care caused the death of Mr Lowe.’

He added: ‘What has happened here was – Shakespeare, having seen the car coming, didn’t notice Mr Lowe behind that car, and seeing that car go past, assumed the road was clear, pulled out without looking properly, and hit Mr Lowe.’

He added that in police interview, Shakespeare argued he thought ‘it was clear’ and hadn’t realised Mr Lowe was there until he ‘heard a bang’.

Mr Sawyer told jurors they will hear evidence which amounts to Mr Lowe having bike problems and said that he had cannabis in his system which suggested ‘recent usage’.

However, he told jurors that both these aspects were ‘irrelevant’ and played no part in Shakespeare’s ‘carelessness’.

He said CCTV filmed 500 metres before the collision showed Mr Lowe travelling at 63mph in a 30mph zone through a village. Mr Sawyer said he then reduced his speed to 40mph to match the limit.

Shakespeare, wearing a suit and tie to court, denies causing death by careless driving.

The trial, set to last four to five days, continues tomorrow.