Headteacher fined after cyclist suffers broken wrists

Headteacher Catherine Hitchcock has pleaded guilty to driving without due care following an incident that left a cyclist with fractured wrists. The court heard that on February 10, Hitchcock caused cyclist Robert Atkinson to fall from his bike at a mini roundabout on Belvedere Grove in Wimbledon.

Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court heard the case on Tuesday afternoon. Hitchcock, 49, who is the headteacher of Donhead Preparatory School, did not attend the hearing. Her legal representative entered the guilty plea on her behalf.

The court was told that Hitchcock's car did not directly collide with Mr Atkinson, but her actions caused him to fall from his bicycle, resulting in his injuries. Hitchcock's lawyer stated that she acknowledged Mr Atkinson had the right of way and offered an apology for the incident.

Ms Hitchcock was fined £911 and received five penalty points on her driving licence. Prior to this incident, she had a clean licence. The incident occurred in Wimbledon Village.

Background to the incident

Catherine Hitchcock began her teaching career in 1999. She joined Donhead Preparatory School in 2015 as Assistant Headteacher and became headteacher in January 2024. The school is a fee-paying institution with former pupils including actor Tom Holland and rugby player Danny Cipriani. Ms Hitchcock also serves as a governor for Putney High School and works with the Independent Schools Inspectorate, a body that inspects private schools for the Department for Education.