Rail crossing crash deaths: Teenager killed unlawfully

Barry Hearnshaw was driving his grandson Will Hallett to a football match when a train hit their car

A teenage boy was killed unlawfully when the car he was travelling in was hit by a train on a level crossing, an inquest jury has ruled.

Will Hallett, 15, died at the Barns Green level crossing, West Sussex, in February with his grandfather.

The jury decided the death of driver Barry Hearnshaw, 71, was accidental.

Coroner Penelope Schofield said the deaths had had a huge impact not only on the family but also on the whole community.

Paul Banks, police collision investigator, said the evidence suggested Mr Hearnshaw had driven around the barrier and on to the track.

A digital reconstruction was played to the inquest in Crawley.

Rail accident investigators at the scene of the crash

Based on inspectors' findings, it showed the car being driven around the half-barrier.

The vehicle almost made it to the gap on the other side, before the rear of the car was struck by the train, the reconstruction showed.

Mr Banks told the inquest there were no defects to the car which could have led to the accident.

On Thursday, the family argued Mr Hearnshaw "was definitely not a driver to take chances".

Mr Hearnshaw's Kia Rio was hit at the crossing, near Horsham, at about 08:45 GMT on 17 February 2018, and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch was sent to the scene.

The court previously heard there was "strong evidence" the barriers were fully lowered at the time of the crash, but no definitive proof as the data-storage box nearby was destroyed by fire.

The inquest continues.