Van Driver Who Killed Team GB Triathlete During Cycling Race Loses Appeal Against Deportation

A Romanian van driver jailed over the death of accomplished Team GB triathlete Rebecca Comins has lost his appeal against deportation from the UK, with an immigration judge ruling that the seriousness of his offending outweighed his private and family life in Britain.

Vasile Barbu struck 52-year-old Comins from behind as she competed in a cycling time trial on a dual carriageway in 2022.

The mother of two, known as Becky, was an experienced athlete who had represented Great Britain at European and world championships and had represented Wales just one week before the collision.

Barbu was later jailed for four years. He has now failed in his attempt to remain in the UK.

Judge rejects bid to remain in Britain

Rebecca Comins was tragically killed as she took part in a cycling raceCredit: WNS

Barbu had lived in Britain since 2002, initially moving to the country to work as a pub chef before eventually owning the bar.

He married a Romanian woman in 2004 and had twins. During immigration proceedings, Barbu argued that he identified strongly with British culture and traditions and considered the UK his permanent home.

However, the tribunal ruled that those ties were not enough to outweigh the public interest in his deportation.

The immigration judge stressed that the circumstances went far beyond a minor driving mistake, noting that the vehicle involved should not have been on the road because it was overloaded and deficient.

“The nature of the offending is important,” the judge said. “This was not an accident. It was not a slight misjudgement.”

Judge Ian Boyes concluded that deporting Barbu would not amount to a disproportionate interference with his right to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

“The very significant public interest in deportation outweighs the appellant’s private and family life considerations,” he ruled.

Rebecca was competing in a time trial

Cardiff Crown Court previously heard that Comins was participating in a time trial organised by Monmouthshire Wheelers when the collision occurred.

Competitors were setting off at one-minute intervals along the dual carriageway, and warning signs had been placed along the route to alert motorists to the cycling event.

Comins was riding in clear, sunny conditions and had a flashing light fitted to her bicycle.

Shortly before striking her, Barbu had reportedly passed close to another cyclist. He then failed to manoeuvre around Comins and collided with her from behind.

Following his arrest, Barbu was unable to explain how the collision had happened. He told police that he believed he had given the cyclist a two-metre gap but accepted that his van must have struck her.

He admitted causing death by careless driving and was later jailed in July 2024.

At sentencing, the judge said it remained difficult to understand why the collision had occurred after considering all of the evidence.

An accomplished British triathlete

She was shunted off her bike by cowardly BarbuCredit: WNS

Comins had built an impressive record in competitive triathlon.

She represented Great Britain at the 2018 Tartu ETU Triathlon European Championships, finishing ninth, before competing at the 2019 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne, where she placed 30th.

At the time of her death, she was also the Vintage Veteran Champion of the Welsh Triathlon Super Series.

Just the weekend before the crash, she had represented Wales.

Barbu’s latest legal challenge centered not on his conviction but on whether he should be permitted to remain in the country where he had lived for more than two decades.

The tribunal has now answered that question, ruling that the seriousness of the case and the public interest in deportation outweigh Barbu’s long-standing family and personal connections to the UK.