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Friday, 25th July 2008

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Inquest into motorcyclist's death



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Saturday 8am - LOUTH motorist Louise Sharpe declined to give evidence at an inquest into a collision which claimed the life of a motorcyclist.
Although the transcript of her interview with police was read out, Miss Sharpe opted not to answer questions after Coroner Stuart Fisher confirmed she might incriminate herself in the event of court proceedings.
The tragedy occurred on September 23 last year when Lee Searby, 41, of Peaks Lane, New Waltham, was riding his 600cc Yamaha home from a trip to Skegness with son Ben, 19, as a pillion passenger.
Following them on a 600cc Suzuki was their friend, Phillip Kershaw, 25, an electrician, of Bentley Street in Cleethorpes.
Shortly after 5pm on the A157 near Kenwick Park Hotel, there was a collision as Miss Sharpe pulled out of the junction with Kenwick Road in her red Peugeot 306 intending to continue her journey to Spilsby.
The accident resulted in Miss Sharpe, 25, of Church Street, receiving heavy bruising on the right side of her body for which she received treatment at Louth County Hospital before discharging herself.
Ben sustained serious injuries from which he is now recovering, but his father was thrown over the top of the car by the impact and, according to a post mortem, died from multiple injuries.
In her statement to police, Miss Sharpe maintained she had twice looked both ways before emerging from the junction but had not seen the Yamaha.
Among those who gave evidence was Mr Kershaw who conceded, at various times, both riders had exceeded the speed limit - at times reaching speeds of up to 90mph.
But he said they had been riding with their headlights dipped. "I saw her car, so I can't see why she did not see us," he commented.
Another witness was police investigating officer Jon Gowler who said it had not been possible for him to calculate the speed of the Yamaha, but it would have been 'within the field of vision' of Miss Sharpe
Although both vehicles had defects - one of the Peugeot's tyres was significantly under-inflated - they were not sufficiently serious to have contributed to what happened.
In his summing up, the Coroner said 'on the balance of probabilities' Mr Searby may have been exceeding the speed limit but the dipped headlights should have served to emphasise his visibility.
He recorded a verdict of accidental death, maintaining it would be 'inappropriate' to record a verdict of unlawful killing on the basis of 'a moment's inadvertence' by Miss Sharpe.
"She did not set out to cause an accident," he said.

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  • Last Updated: 15 May 2008 3:19 PM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Louth
 
 
  

 
 


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