A YORK pedestrian was killed when a cyclist with faulty brakes rode through a red light at a city centre crossing and collided with her, an inquest heard.

Margaret Callan, 49, of Holgate Bridge Gardens, suffered severe head injuries, including a fractured skull, in the accident on a pedestrian crossing in Piccadilly, York, on April 18.

She was taken to York Hospital, but died four days later in Leeds General Infirmary.

The inquest heard that cyclist Roy Spence, from Plumer Avenue, Tang Hall, had ridden his mountain bike through a red light in Parliament Street seconds before colliding with Miss Callan, who was on the crossing going from Lloyds Bank towards Jessop's camera shop.

PC David Taylor, from North Yorkshire Police's collision investigation unit, said he tested Mr Spence's cycle and found the brakes "inoperative" when ridden. "The cyclist failed to comply with the red traffic light at Parliament Street," he said.

York coroner Donald Coverdale said Miss Callan had stepped out into the road when the "green man" was still being shown, but after taking one pace it turned red. She then took a step backwards - into the path of Mr Spence's cycle, which she had not seen coming.

Mr Coverdale told the inquest: "When Miss Callan stepped into the road she was acting perfectly properly. I don't believe she had seen Mr Spence on his cycle. Of crucial importance is the phasing of the lights.

"The sequencing of traffic lights is such that if all road users observe them there could not be a collision of this nature."

In an interview with traffic officers read out at the inquest, Mr Spence said he had tried to "cycle round the back of Miss Callan" at the crossing, but she stepped backwards into his path.

"I swerved as best I could to miss her," his statement said.

Mr Spence, who was represented by a solicitor, declined to give evidence at the inquest.

Bus driver Nicholas Brind, who was waiting at the crossing in his vehicle at the time of the incident, told the inquest Mr Spence was going "quite fast". He said the cyclist had tried to grab Miss Callan to stop her falling.

Mr Coverdale recorded a verdict of accidental death.

A police spokeswoman said Roy Spence was charged with the dangerous riding of a pedal cycle and appeared at York magistrates court on December 19. The matter was adjourned pending the outcome of the inquest.

Updated: 12:22 Thursday, January 23, 2003