Inquest into A505 deaths told of an error of judgement’

A DEATH crash was probably caused by an error of judgement , a police accident expert told an inquest on Thursday. Pc Chris Breeze was giving evidence at the inquest at Cambridge Coroner s Court into the death of a 42-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman

A DEATH crash was probably caused by an "error of judgement", a police accident expert told an inquest on Thursday.

Pc Chris Breeze was giving evidence at the inquest at Cambridge Coroner's Court into the death of a 42-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman.

The accident happened on the A505 between Royston and Duxford on January 26 when a car left the road and was wrapped around a tree.

The driver was Brendan Noades of Newmarket Road, Heydon and his passenger was Laura Willis of Milton Close, Royston.

Laura's six-year-old nephew Jordan Griffiths was also travelling in the Peugeot 406 car and was taken to Addenbrooke's hospital with head injuries.

He has since been released from hospital.

Eye-witness David Medley, from Haverhill, told the hearing: "The car was clearly in a hurry to get somewhere. It was travelling at quite a speed," he said.

When the car passed Mr Medley he said he saw it go across the road as though it was turning right.

"I thought it was odd because there was nowhere for it to turn into," he said.

Traffic officer Pc Chris Breeze said the car was probably travelling in excess of 80mph.

"The accident was likely to be a combination of error of judgement, the line the driver took and how fast he was going," he said.

Coroner David Morris said: "In lay terms, it looks as if the car wrapped itself around the tree."

A post-mortem examination showed Mr Noades died of multiple injuries and Miss Willis died of severe brain injuries.

The coroner recorded verdicts of accidental death.