POLICE believe a man accused of being involved in an accident that killed a popular cyclist has fled abroad.

As revealed by the Daily Echo in May, John Levy, 37, went on the run after being given bail at Southampton Crown Court in February.

Hampshire detectives believe he may be in either Australia and Turkey as he holds passports for both those countries.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Levy, who was living at Osborne Road South, Southampton, had been due to stand trial in July charged with aiding and abetting Michael Filgate who has admitted causing the death of veteran cyclist Derek Witt, on the Itchen Bridge in Southampton in the summer of 2008.

The prosecution claims Levy gave the keys of his Peugeot 405 to Filgate when it was in a dangerous condition. It was overloaded with passengers and Filgate was over the limit.

Filgate, 38, of Copenhagen Towers, Weston, Southampton, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by driving without insurance and a licence and was jailed for seven and a half years and handed a lifetime driving ban.

Mr Witt, 60, from Swanwick, was with three other members of the Woolston-based DHC racing team nearing the top of Itchen Bridge and travelling away from the city centre when he was involved in a head-on collision with the car.

Fellow cyclist Peter Sneddon, 32, sustained severe leg and chest injuries in the accident.