Spennymoor police pursuit death ruled misadventure

Kelvin Bainbridge exited a moving car and was struck by the police vehicle pursuing him

A man who was fatally hit during a police pursuit died from misadventure, an inquest has ruled.

Kelvin Bainbridge was the focus of a six-minute police chase in Spennymoor, County Durham in October 2019.

The 19-year-old was left with head injuries after getting out of his own moving car and then being struck by a police car driven by PC Paul Jackson.

Senior assistant coroner Crispin Oliver told his family and officers involved: "I wish you well in the future."

The two-week inquest previously heard how PC Jackson believed he had made the "right calls" on the day of the incident.

The jury previously heard the officer had received advanced tactical pursuit and containment training, and was "confident" in his skills and training.

Jurors accepted PC Jackson's decision to pursue Mr Bainbridge had been motivated by his duty, as a police officer, to protect the public.

Kelvin Bainbridge had taken his pregnant partner for a scan at hospital hours before the incident

Mr Bainbridge, who was known to Durham Police and was wanted for crimes in the area, was pursued by police when he was seen behind the wheel of a Nissan Primera.

The jury had heard how he had been carrying four passengers in his car, including his mother and his pregnant partner.

Earlier that morning, he had taken his partner for her 20-week scan and was said to be "ecstatic" to learn they were having a baby boy.

During the pursuit, PC Jackson drove to the side of Mr Bainbridge's car, with the intention of blocking the alleyway.

Mr Bainbridge tried to flee his car, but he stumbled and fell under the police vehicle, suffering a blunt head injury.

The officer, who no longer has a public-facing role and trains recruits, had been asked by Jamie Burton KC, for the family, whether the manoeuvre was "highly dangerous".

PC Jackson told Mr Bainbridge's parents, Troy and Suzanne, he "had no idea he would jump out of a moving car".

He said: "In my mind's eye, I had closed off the most likely escape route.

"I'm sorry Suzanne, Troy, I never went out of my way to hurt him, I just wanted to arrest him."

PC Jackson, a qualified police driver and armed response officer, had carried out hundreds of other pursuits without injury, the inquest heard.

The pursuit ended with a crash in Spennymoor, County Durham

Following the ruling, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) explained it had initially concluded there had been "sufficient evidence" to indicate PC Jackson may have committed a criminal offence, as well as gross misconduct.

However, after Durham Police challenged that view in December 2020, the IOPC subsequently decided the officer "had no case to answer in respect of their conduct" having reviewed the evidence again and taken into account "additional external information" it had not previously had access to.

In October 2021, the Crown Prosecution Service announced it would not authorise any further action against PC Jackson.

IOPC regional director Emily Barry said: "We found national pursuit training did not cover situations where a driver attempts to escape on foot.

"While the use of the police car to block a potential escape route was not an expressly authorised tactic, there was no guidance or training preventing a police driver from doing so where they believed it was proportionate and necessary.

"Now the inquest has concluded, we will consider whether to issue any organisational or national recommendations in respect of this issue, or any other matter identified during the investigation."

Durham Police has offered its condolences to Mr Bainbridge's family.

The jury concluded "the correct decision was taken to both commence and continue the pursuit", it said.

"As the public would rightly expect, Durham Constabulary thoroughly examines the circumstances surrounding any incident involving loss of life to determine whether there is anything we can learn or further improve," a spokesperson said.