Ignoring police signal cost three young lives

The aftermath of the crash in Middleton Road, Chadderton, in which three people were killed.

A coroner said all three people who died in a car smash would still be alive if the driver had stopped when flagged down by police.

Coroner Simon Nelson said the actions of Littleborough-born driver Paul Bunting, 30, in particular of failing to acknowledge the presence of the officer “set the ball in motion”.

He said: “Had he acquiesced to a lawful request to stop, I’m fairly confident we wouldn’t be here today.”

Mr Bunting, who was disqualified from driving at the time, and passengers Christopher Morrison, 23 and 19-year-old mum-of-one Cassie Fox died after the Vauxhall Vectra they were in crashed into a garden wall and flipped on to its roof in Middleton Road, Chadderton, in November, 2008.

Sole survivor Claire Matthews, 20, had previously told the Oldham inquest that she could remember nothing about the night of the incident.

At about 3.30am, traffic officer PC Daniel Byrne saw the Vauxhall Vectra go through a red light at Mumps roundabout so he activated his blue lights in an attempt to get the driver to stop.

The Vauxhall Vectra stopped close to Mumps train station but sped off as soon as PC Byrne got out of his marked police car.

That sparked a two-minute police pursuit which ended when the car crashed.

During the coroner’s summing up on the final day of a five-day inquest, the jury heard that Mr Bunting had £780 in £20 notes on him and white powder which was confirmed as heroin.

A container was recovered from Mr Morrison with eight small crystaline rocks which were confirmed as having the presence of cocaine.

Mr Nelson asked the jury to consider whether it was reasonable for PC Byrne to commence pursuit, whether PC Byrne’s conduct over the pursuit was appropriate, and whether it would have been appropriate to abandon the pursuit.

The jury of four women and five men gave a verdict that Paul Bunting died because he was the driver of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

This, combined with excessive speed, resulted in the loss of control of the vehicle during police pursuit.

The jury also said both Christopher Morrison and Cassie Fox died because they were passengers in a car which crashed resulting in fatal injuries while being pursued by police.

They ruled both their deaths were misadventure.

Speaking after the jury gave its decision, Mr Nelson said: “In my view, the pursuit was entirely justified and the conduct of the pursuit was not inappropriate.

“There will always be areas in which improvements can be made and I’m hoping it won’t be lost on those involved in this inquiry.”

He added: “It was an absolute tragedy that they came by their deaths in this manner.”