Teenager killed by train after drinking beer and vodka, inquest heard (From The Argus)

Teenager killed by train after drinking beer and vodka, inquest heard

3:22pm Tuesday 15th May 2007

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Teenager was killed by a train after he had spent the day drinking beer and vodka, an inquest heard.

Adam Blackwood, 18, of Cornwall Road, Littlehampton, was walking two girls home with a friend on New Year's Day when they had to go across a foot crossing.

The inquest heard that Adam had crossed Paggett's foot crossing, between Warren Crescent and Ashurst Way in Angmering, and he had narrowly avoided being hit by a train.

Adam crossed back to the waiting girls and then crossed again for the third time when he was hit by a train travelling towards Littlehampton at about 8.20pm.

Adam died instantly. A post-mortem concluded the cause of death was a severe head injury.

Blood tests returned a level of 123mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. The legal drink drive limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Drivers of both trains said they were aware of people near the crossing when they passed it with the first driver seeing someone cross the line in front of him.

The driver of the second train said he was travelling at about 55mph when he heard a dull thud as he went past the crossing. He stopped to inspect the train's front and found the remains of a pheasant, which he reported.

The British Transport Police later informed him he had hit Adam.

Sharon Shaw, of Warren Crescent, has lived next to the crossing, which is known locally as 'the stile', for seven years.

She was at home that evening with her partner and took Adam's three friends, Liam Colcot, 18, Melissa Bastable, 13 and Stacy Dunstall, 15, into her house to wait for the emergency services.

She told the inquest: "The first thing we heard was people shouting 'don't be so stupid'. At that moment we heard a train and thought, 'Not tonight'.

"I started getting dressed and by the time I got outside another train had gone past and the girls were screaming and I knew someone had been hit."

The inquest heard evidence from the British Transport Police that judging the distance of a train at night was difficult because of the train's bright headlights which made it seem further away.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, assistant coroner Martin Milward told the hearing at Worthing Town Hall yesterday (Tuesday) the level of alcohol in Adam's blood was associated with impaired mobility and a loss of inhibition.

He said: "We've heard from the three persons that were with Adam and they gave us the background and told us what was happening to them prior to their arrival at the crossing.

"We know he had been drinking some alcohol, vodka and some beer, which reinforces the evidence from the post-mortem."

He concluded: "There is no evidence before me to say that this level crossing is inadvertently dangerous.

"I find that Adam unfortunately would have been the author of his own misfortune. He had taken, I believe, an unnecessary risk."

Adam's family described him as a loving and kind person.

They said in a statement: "He paid very dearly for a few moments of high spirits.

"All we can hope from the publicity caused by Adam's death is that other young people may be deterred from going on the railway lines.

"Our thoughts are also with the driver of the train and the emergency services.

"We now hope that we can move on with our lives, treasure his memory and grieve in private."

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