Matthew Seddon inquest: Teen died after police pursuit

Matthew Seddon loved cars, the inquest heard

An inquest has heard how a teenager was run over by a Thames Valley Police car after being pursued by officers.

Matthew Seddon, 19, died on 11 February 2013 after hitting a barrier on the A33 in Reading, being thrown from his car and struck by a police vehicle.

He was driving on a provisional licence without insurance and failed to stop.

Reading Coroner's Court was told one officer who had been driving appeared to be hyperventilating at the scene and said: "I think I hit him".

Mr Seddon was found lying in the road with serious head injuries. Officers attempted to revive him, but he died at the scene.

A Thames Valley officer said the six vehicles involved in the pursuit were not chasing in a "convoy".

PC Craig Buchanan, a firearms officer, said a "convoy situation", where several police vehicles are chasing a suspect, was not the right way to conduct a pursuit.

'Cheeky chappy'

The inquest heard during the chase there was a significant gap between Mr Seddon's red Ford Fiesta and the police cars following.

PC Stephen Daly told the inquest jury that one of the officers who had been driving was hyperventilating and saying "I think I hit him".

Mr Seddon's mother, Julie, attended the inquest and described her son as "a cheeky chappy" who loved cars and had bought and sold them to earn extra money.

The inquest heard he had points on his licence, and if he had received any more he could have been banned.

The incident is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is due to publish its findings after the inquest has concluded

The inquest continues.