Tributes to ‘treasured father’ district judge Matthew Mawdsley after he died in collision on Aston Expressway

Tributes have been paid to a “treasured father” who died after being struck by several cars on the Aston Expressway.

Matthew Mawdsley had recently been appointed as a District Judge for the West Midlands but suffered serious injuries near the junction of Bagot Street, near the A38M Aston Expressway, at around 10pm on Friday (December 16).

The 54-year-old is understood to have been hit by a car which did not stop, and was then struck by two other cars later which did stop. He was tragically confirmed dead at the scene.

In a tribute his family said: “We are heartbroken at the loss of our beloved Matt. He was a treasured father-of-three, husband, son and brother, as well as being a valued friend and respected colleague to so many people.

“He achieved much in his long career as a barrister, especially his recent appointment as a District Judge, but it was his warmth, humour, kindness and generosity that made him so well loved. We will love Matt always and ask please that our privacy be respected as we grieve for him.

St John’s Buildings Barristers Chambers said online Mr Mawdsley was appointed as a Deputy District Judge in 2019 and had only started as a Midland Circuit District Judge on December 5.

They wrote: “We are delighted to announce that the King has appointed Matthew Mawdsley to be a District Judge on the advice of the Lord Chancellor, the Right Honourable Dominic Raab MP and the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, the Right Honourable The Lord Burnett of Maldon.

“The Lord Chief Justice has deployed him to the Midland Circuit, based at Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre with effect from Monday 5 December 2022.

“Matthew was called to the Bar in 1991, and was appointed as a Deputy District Judge in 2019. We all send District Judge Mawdsley our very best wishes on his appointment!”

A 32-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink. He has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

PC Chris Ridge, from the force’s serious collision investigation unit, said previously: “The man’s family have been given the very sad news, and our thoughts are with them.

“We’re still trying to establish exactly what happened, and have already spoken to a number of witnesses. Sadly, we believe the man may have been hit by a number of vehicles while in the road, and it’s possible those motorists are unaware that they have been involved.

“If you were driving in the area at the time, or have dash cam or mobile phone footage from the area, we really want to hear from you.”

You can get in touch via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk, quoting log 4108 of 16 December.