A motorist accused of a road rage murder was caught on CCTV ordering pints before he “deliberately knocked a cyclist off his bike”.
David Morgan, 40, is said to have swerved into Richard Smith, in Norwich, Norfolk, throwing him over his handlebars into the road and causing fatal head injuries.
Norwich Crown Court was told that earlier in the afternoon Morgan had drunk at least four pints of 5pc Peroni lager before leaving in his Mercedes CLA 180 Sport car to collect his children from school.
CCTV released by the CPS shows Morgan ordering drinks at around 1.39pm – just under four hours before the incident – and his arrest.
It is alleged the father-of-three Mr Smith had shouted at Morgan, who had been trying to overtake and undertake traffic at about 5pm on May 8, 2026.
Mr Smith, who suffered “extensive head injuries”, was taken to hospital but died from his injuries on May 11.
Morgan failed a roadside test for alcohol and was found to have 57mcgs in 100mls of breath. The legal limit is 35.
But the defendant, who also failed a drugs test, claimed to police he had drunk alcohol following the incident and not before.
On Wednesday (November 4) the jury of nine women and three men heard the accounts Morgan gave to police following his arrest at about 7pm on May 8 this year.
Morgan had branded Mr Smith a “f idiot” following his arrest but when interviewed the following day said it was because he had been “in shock” after being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
He told police in interview he had been “p off” with Mr Smith as the cyclist had hit his Mercedes and he “worked hard for my car” which was the nicest one he had ever had.
Morgan insisted he “just wanted to say you’re a d head” for having hit the car.
In his interview, Morgan said following an altercation a few moments earlier he had been going down the road and thought he was going to hit the kerb and did not want to “kerb my wheels” or “hit him”.
Morgan said he “moved right to not hit the kerb and carried on”.
He said he “didn’t hear anything” and insisted it was not until he got to the bottom of the road that, after looking in his rear view mirror, he saw the cyclist “sat on the verge”.
He said: “I just thought he must’ve hit the kerb and fallen off.
“That’s not my fault.
“I had no intention to kill him or hit him.
“I did say ‘what’s your problem’ but I had no intention to do that.
“I didn’t think I’d hurt him or hit him.”
Morgan was asked by police whether at any point he deliberately drove into the cyclist.
“No, I did not,” he said.
“I want to make that adamant 100 per cent – I had no intention of hurting him, I just wanted to put my point across.”
Morgan, who had also denied having anything to drink prior to the crash, said: “I hope he has a good recovery.
“I wouldn’t want the worst to happen.”
Charles Myatt, prosecuting, said the fact Morgan’s car came into contact with Mr Smith’s bike was “not in dispute” but the issue for jurors to decide was “how exactly and why”.
Morgan, of Norwich, Norfolk, has denied murder although he has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
Mr Smith’s family paid tribute to the “much-loved partner, dad, brother, son, friend and colleague” after his death.
The tribute said: “We are all struggling to make sense of such a tragic loss to all of our lives.
“Rich was a keen NCFC supporter, a blood and organ donor and a proud dad to his three children.
“We will remember him with love and kindness and for some truly terrible dance moves.”
The trial continues.
