Manchester man Michael Collins has finally been charged with `dangerous driving', after mowing down Salford pensioners' rights and trade union campaigner George Tapp during a protest outside the BAM Construction site, where Manchester City's new training ground is being built at Eastlands.
The protest was centred around BAM's role in the huge £15billion Crossrail project in London, where workers were sacked for questioning health and safety on the site and allegations were made of BAM blacklisting workers for trade union activity.
During the Unite union protest in East Manchester, as George Tapp and others handed out leaflets to motorists, the driver of a Ford Ka accelerated, leaving George with two broken legs and a fractured skull, and two other men with minor injuries.
At the time, witness Paul Kelly told the Salford Star… "George was at the front of the car with a couple of other guys. Then I just heard the massive sound of an engine noise, looked round and saw the car disappear up the road for about 200 yards with George on the bonnet and the other lads.
"I was watching and the driver just hit the breaks" he added "I saw all the lads on the front fall onto the floor, and he just drove off and left them there. George was in the middle and he just hit the floor. The speed of the car was so fast it burnt the tyres, and you could actually smell burning, and he breaked hard, that is how George sustained his injuries, he was flung straight onto to the floor.
"Most people were in shock really because the person who perpetrated this was just a complete maniac, there was no reason to do it; in my opinion it was attempted murder what that man tried to do to George" he concluded "In my mind he went from 0 to 60 in seconds and that is an act of a madman." (See previous Salford Star article – click here)
Greater Manchester Police has released the following statement…
"A man has been issued with a summons to appear at court in relation to dangerous driving. Michael Collins (17/06/1994), of Walsden Street, Manchester is due to appear at Manchester city and Salford Magistrates on Monday 21 October 2013.
At around 6pm on Wednesday 13 May 2013, police were called to reports of a group of protesters stood across Ashton New Road, opposite BAM Construction site, blocking traffic travelling in both directions. On arrival, police discovered there had been a collision between a blue Ford Ka and 64-year-old man. He was taken to hospital and treated for a broken leg."
Last night, George Tapp couldn't comment on the case but he told the Salford Star that the original protest at BAM in East Manchester counted towards the victory of Unite union in the dispute.
"We've been successful in winning this dispute and the workers are now getting their jobs back and compensation payments" he said "It's a tremendous success and shows what can be done if people fight and stand together.
"Now we want all the other companies to sign up and be honest about blacklisting" he added "We'd like to thank the Scottish Parliament for all the work they put in, calling an enquiry and holding a select committee on the subject."
See also previous Salford Star articles…
Salford Mayor Blacklisting Hypocrisy Revealed - click here
Blacklisting Ruins Lives - click here
* Pending legal advice we have taken all the comments down for the time being.
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