Jury out to consider verdict on inquest into death of Oldbury teenager killed in crash during police pursuit

Benjamin Hopton, aged 17, died when the Honda he was driving being pursued by police left the road and hit a tree in Coombs Road Halesowen at the junction of Amber Way in the early hours of February 5 last year. He was driving on a provisional licence at the time.

The incident was later referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

The inquest at Sandwell Coroners Court in Oldbury has lasted three days, with the jury having heard witness statements from police officers involved in the pursuit of the Honda and viewed footage of the accident.

They have heard evidence from the officers  that the crash happened “moments” after the car failed to stop for officers after a short pursuit in the early hours,

The inquest earlier heard police were in the area of Britannia Road, Rowley Regis just before the pursuit investigating the theft of a Mercedes car which had earlier been stolen and found abandoned.

An officer from Staffordshire Police saw three people in a Honda car nearby stutter and stall at lights nearby and tried to stop it, but the car accelerated away. Officers from West Midlands Police took over the short pursuit before the crash.

On the last day of evidence Sergeant Darren Bradley of the West Midlands Police crash investigation unit said that Mr Hopton was travelling at twice the legal speed limit at around 68 mph - far too fast to negotiate bends. He said a safe negotiation of the bends could have been made between 53 and 59 mph.

Sergeant Brindley said there were no road surface defects and the car appeared to have no mechanical defects.

He said there was about 90 metres - a three second gap - between the Honda and the first police car at the time of the crash.

Giving instructions to the jury, senior coroner Kelly Dixon said there was no dispute that Mr Hopton had died as a result of a road traffic collision. But she said the must decide in their findings who the deceased was; when, where and how he died and an overall conclusion.

She said they must disregard any arguments or evidence in the inquest that related to items found in the Honda Civic that might have related to the stolen Mercedes and the fact all three occupants of the car were wearing balaclavas, though it was disputed that the driver, Mr Hopton, had his partially pulled up.

The inquest is expected to conclude tomorrow.