A FACTORY worker denied killing a colleague and friend by driving dangerously after they had enjoyed “banter” about him cycling to work for the first time.

Gareth Robbins admits causing the death of Paul Heenan by careless driving after they had just finished their shift at battery manufacturer Yuasa in Ebbw Vale.

He is on trial for causing the 40-year-old father-of-two’s death by dangerous driving on Friday, April 11, 2020.

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Robbins is accused of accelerating in his car after allegedly "towing" the cyclist along when he’d grabbed onto his Peugeot 208.

South Wales Argus:

Paul Heenan, 40, from Abertysswg, Caerphilly, died following a crash in Ebbw Vale. Picture: Family handout/Gwent Police

The prosecution also claims he drove too close to him, had shouted out at him and taken his eyes off the road by doing so.

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Mr Heenan, from Abertysswg, Caerphilly, fell off his bicycle and died after suffering “catastrophic injuries”.

A Cardiff Crown Court jury heard how the defendant and other workmates had “ripped” into the deceased that day because he had cycled to work.

Playful workplace banter spilled over with tragic consequences

Giving his evidence-in-chief, Robbins said he had worked alongside Mr Heenan who he referred to by the nicknames “Skipper and Guvnor”.

South Wales Argus:

Defendant Gareth Robbins outside Cardiff Crown Couth this afternoon. Picture: Wales News Service

The court was told Robbins, 33, of Clos Gwaith Dur, Ebbw Vale, was a married father-of-one who had never previously been in trouble with the police.

Jurors heard that the defendant was a former chef with Wetherspoons who started working at Yuasa in 2010.

He told his barrister Clare Wilks he had a “really good” working relationship with Mr Heenan and added, “I’d like to think we were more than colleagues”.

The deceased would always travel to work in his car but on the day of his death he had rode in on his bike.

Robbins said: “We have never known Paul to cycle into work.”

The jury heard there was “banter” between Mr Heenan and colleagues about that and how gyms were closed during the time because of the first coronavirus lockdown.

“There was jesting about him cycling in because of the gyms, yes,” Robbins said.

Asked about what happened as they left work, the defendant said: “He (Mr Heenan) was just cycling slow in front of me on the narrow road.

“I just thought he was joking about.

“As you come to the opening, widening of the road Paul was still cycling in front of me so I tried to go around Paul to make my way out.

“Paul was weaving like an S-shape when the road opened up when I tried to overtake.”

In cross-examination, Robbins said he told Mr Heenan earlier that day: “'Why are you cycling in? You’re too old to cycle in.'

"It was just laughing amongst friends kind of thing.”

Prosecutor Eugene Egan asked him: “There’s no suggestion it was menacing?

"It was all perfectly good-natured and taken in good spirit all round?”

Robbins replied: “Oh yeah, yeah.”

Mr Egan questioned him: “Was he answering back, saying I’m fit enough and things like that?

"It was a two-way conversation? It was workplace banter?"

The defendant answered that it was.

The jury heard how Mr Heenan was “slowing traffic down” behind him after riding along on the Rassau Industrial Estate at around 6pm.

“So Paul was deliberately weaving and stopping cars from overtaking him wasn’t he? Cars are beeping at him but that wasn’t in a menacing way was it?,” Mr Egan asked.

Robbins agreed.

Mr Egan said: “Both sides were engaging in a bit of fun weren’t they, Paul and the motorists behind him?

"It wasn’t beeping at a total stranger for driving right in front of them, it was just joking?”

The defendant again agreed.

Mr Egan told the jury: “Playful workplace banter had spilled over with tragic consequences.”

Robbins has denied causing death by dangerous driving.

Proceeding.