Cyclists launch four-city protest National Breaking News Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au (07-05-2005)
CYCLISTS will ride through city centres today to protest against the sentence given to a lawyer after a cyclist died in a hit-and-run accident.

Wheels of Justice will hold simultaneous rides in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane, all finishing at their respective state parliament houses. The sentencing of Adelaide lawyer and former police prosecutor Eugene McGee has prompted widespread outcry, with the South Australian Government forming a royal commission into the case.

Father-of-two Ian Humphrey was cycling when he was struck by a car driven by McGee in 2003.

McGee, who admitted drinking wine before the crash, did not stop at the scene and was not arrested until six-and-a-half hours later. He was never breath or blood tested for alcohol. He was subsequently acquitted of causing death by dangerous driving, but found guilty of the lesser crime of driving without due care. McGee also pleaded guilty to failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to render assistance. Last week he was fined $3100 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Melbourne co-ordinator Rob Eke said the protest rides were to demand justice in sentencing over the deaths of cyclists. ‘No one seems to go to jail for it.’