Forums
Posted By: Anonymous Wirral Charity worker dies 'racing' boyfriend - 23rd Jul 2010 12:49pm
Charity worker Jennifer Holden dies after 'racing' boyfriend on Wirral road





A CHARITY worker was killed after losing control of her car while apparently racing her boyfriend along a Merseyside road.

Jennifer Holden died when her Vauxhall Corsa collided with a coach driving in the opposite direction on the A41, near Eastham Village.

Witnesses said they saw the 25-year-old and her boyfriend Michael Oakley, who was in a black Skoda, driving side-by-side just after 8am on Saturday May 30 last year.

[Linked Image]
A cyclist told a Wallasey inquest yesterday she assumed the cars were “two boy racers”, while another witness thought it was a police chase.

Wirral coroner’s court heard Miss Holden overtook her boyfriend’s car before losing control on a bend.

She suffered multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.

Van driver Robert Slade followed the two black cars from traffic lights at the junction with Old Hall Road, travelling towards the M53.

He said: “I could clearly hear the sound of the Skoda’s engine – it was being revved severely.

“Then as the lights went green, the driver launched the car with excessive wheel spin and a huge cloud of white smoke.

“I then noticed the Corsa as it shot off from the lights with its front wheels juddering severely as the tyres tried to get a grip.”

Mr Slade said the actions of the Skoda driver made him think “stupid idiot”.

He said he assumed the two drivers knew each other because they were looking at each other at traffic lights, had their windows open and were possibly talking.

Mr Slade said the Skoda then braked to let the Corsa to catch up.


At the next lights, he said the Skoda driver was “pulsing the throttle pedal” before launching away “at a greater speed, followed by the Corsa”.

When interviewed by police, Mr Oakley said he was driving at 40mph and denied racing.

He admitted he revved the engine but said he had “no idea” why.

He told officers: “I know I did [go over the speed limit] at the end when I saw Jenny lose control because I just wanted to get to her, but before that, no.”

Terry and Pauline Patrick were at traffic lights waiting to turn into the A41 from Eastham Village.

Mr Patrick told the inquest: “As the black car approached the junction, I saw it being overtaken by another black car.

“As soon as I saw it I thought it was going fast. I would estimate the speed as about 60mph. I said to my wife ‘look at the speed of that’.”

He added: “If I was guessing, I would say they were racing.”

Mrs Patrick said: “I thought the second car was trying to catch the first. I even thought it was an unmarked police car.”

The driver of the coach, who was travelling below the 40mph speed limit, braked but was unable to avoid Miss Holden’s car.

PC James Martindale, of Merseyside Police, said while he was unable to accurately calculate the Corsa’s speed, four independent witnesses said it was a factor.

The Crown Prosecution Service decided no-one should face charges over Miss Holden’s death.

Coroner Christopher Johnson recorded a narrative verdict.


THE ECHO
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Wirral Charity worker dies 'racing' boyfriend - 23rd Jul 2010 1:31pm
Speechless at the actions of these 2 idiots that has caused the death of one of them. The boyfriend may be relieved that he is not prosecuted but has to live with it for the rest of his life.
Posted By: Wench Re: Wirral Charity worker dies 'racing' boyfriend - 23rd Jul 2010 3:03pm
As sad as it is, there's nobody else to blame. I feel for the family and the coach driver but not her. I know that sounds harsh but it was the actions of them both that led to it.
Why are you posting this when it is from May last year? I used to work with the boyfriend Mike and he has been deeply effected by this incodent and it should remain in the past.
Originally Posted by MrHouston
Why are you posting this when it is from May last year? I used to work with the boyfriend Mike and he has been deeply effected by this incodent and it should remain in the past.
The Wirral News has just raised this topic as well as the Echo, I guess the coroner's report or prosecution service statement has just been released.

SOURCE
Posted By: bert1 Re: Wirral Charity worker dies 'racing' boyfriend - 23rd Jul 2010 6:03pm
Its been posted because of the inquest, as it happens its news to me, i must have missed it when it happened, if nothing else it should serve as a warning not to play racing on public roads, unlikely anyone reading about this tragedy will learn anything, unfortunately.
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: Wirral Charity worker dies 'racing' boyfriend - 23rd Jul 2010 6:20pm
huh, those of you with bikes can keep your `speeding` comments to yourselves!
RIP, thoughts are with the family frown
We have all raced our mates etc and prob still do within reason, shame and waste of young life.
Posted By: MrPhil Re: Wirral Charity worker dies 'racing' boyfriend - 24th Jul 2010 10:11am
The black Skoda isn't the Octavia is it?
Posted By: Icarus Re: Wirral Charity worker dies 'racing' boyfriend - 29th Jul 2010 1:11am
Stop making excuses for the idiot boyfriend ......she wouldn't have been racing if it wasn't for him .

I think he should have been prosecuted as an accessory to murder
Sounds like it wasnt the racing or excessive speed, just the fact 2 people were driving side by side and distracting each other.

RIP
Looks like they were racing to me. Can't believe that people make excuses for it, luckily no one else was hit. It's still a tragedy, but it was an avoidable one.
Not sure that all the witnesses would make up the same story about them speeding. Tragic event, I too, had not sen this in the news last year so it was new to me. Understand why the boyfriend denied speeding, he was bricking it about being prosecuted and devastated at the same time about the death of his girlfriend. The only place to race is on the track and that goes for bikes as well.
One more moron off the road, hopefully one more moron who may now think twice before putting mine and every other pedestrian and road-users lives at risk, needlessly.

As already stated, very sad tragedy for the families and friends of the deceased, its always the people you care about most who get hurt in these acts of stupidity, but I doubt it will deter anyone else intent on racing, from doing so.

Im just so glad she hit a coach and not a family with childern in a normal car which could have wiped them out, and that the coach driver is okay - serves her right!

frown
Originally Posted by MattLFC
One more moron off the road, hopefully one more moron who may now think twice before putting mine and every other pedestrian and road-users lives at risk, needlessly.

As already stated, very sad tragedy for the families and friends of the deceased

withthat
© Wirral-Wikiwirral