Mother ‘screamed “slow down” to son moments before fatal police pursuit crash’

Inquest in Crook, County Durham heard how Kevin Bainbridge died after jumping from his moving car during a police pursuit

Kevin Bainbridge was killed in a police pursuit in County Durham, an inquest heard (Family Handout/PA Wire)

A mother screamed at her teenage son to “slow down” moments before he died during a police pursuit, an inquest heard.

Kelvin Bainbridge, 19, was killed at the end of a police pursuit when he jumped from the moving car he was driving in Spennymoor, County Durham on October 18, 2019. An inquest in Crook, County Durham, heard he died from a blunt head injury when he was struck while on the ground.

Mr Bainbridge had just attended a hospital scan with his pregnant partner and was “ecstatic” to find out they were having a boy.

On his way home he pulled into a nearby pub where the disqualified driver, who was wanted by police for burglary offences, was spotted by an off-duty officer.

A traffic officer drove up to the pub to speak to him and was getting out of his vehicle when Mr Bainbridge “drove off at speed”, the coroner said.

Following a six minute pursuit, Mr Bainbridge got out of the Nissan Primera he was driving and was struck by the Durham Police vehicle at 2:30pm.

In a pen portrait, his mother, Suzanne, said: “The whole chase felt like it lasted forever.

“The whole thing was scary, we were speeding through town and it was 2.30pm in the middle of the day.

“I was screaming at Kelvin to slow down.

“I remember turning round and screaming at the police to stop chasing us and Kelvin will pull over.”

Kelvin Bainbridge at the end of a police pursuit, an inquest in Crook, County Durham heard. (Family Handout/PA Wire)

During the inquest, Mr Bainbridge’s parents gasped in horror when they saw dash cam footage from the police car as it collided with their son.

His father Troy Bainbridge said his son had not needed to die that day and that he should have served a jail term, and could have gone on to make something of his life.

He said: “I know this could have and should have ended differently, and he should be with us right now.”

In a summary of the incident, senior assistant coroner Crispin Oliver said Mr Bainbridge’s Nissan collided with a Renault car during the pursuit and did not stop.

Once he got out of the moving car, the Nissan he had been driving crashed into a brick wall. The Independent Office for Police Conduct was informed of Mr Bainbridge’s death and began an investigation that afternoon.

Mr Oliver told a jury that the inquest, which could take three weeks to complete, will consider issues including Mr Bainbridge’s interaction with the police in the months before his death, the decision taken to pursue his vehicle and risk assessments during the pursuit.

The inquest continues.