The cop driving a police car which struck a teen in a fatal crash would have had no time to avoid the collision, an inquest heard.

Kelvin Bainbridge was killed when he was hit by a police car after jumping from his car at the end of a police chase in Spennymoor on October 18, 2019.

Nineteen-year-old Bainbridge led officers on a six-minute pursuit around the town which ended in tragedy when he “stumbled”. He died of a blunt head injury.

Read more: Teen died in police chase on way home from finding out gender of his unborn baby

An inquest, which continued Tuesday (September 19), heard PC Paul Jackson who was behind the wheel at the time would have had no time to stop after seeing Kelvin open the car door.

Mr Robin Taylor, a now-retired collision investigator who filed a report into the crash, told the jury: “From seeing the person (Kelvin Bainbridge) coming out, no he’s not got the time to react and to stop.

The Northern Echo: Kelvin Bainbridge.Kelvin Bainbridge. (Image: FAMILY)

“From the first point when Mr Bainbridge appears the officer has 1.32 seconds in total to react and bring the vehicle to a stop to avoid collision.”

Going over the sequence of events he said: “It looks like Kelvin stumbled and fell to the floor, at which point the police vehicle has then hit Kelvin just as he’s mounted the curb

He said Bainbridge’s Nissan had continued moving after he jumped out of it leaving damage to the front bumper and knocking down a wall.

The Northern Echo: The scene of the incident after the crash.The scene of the incident after the crash. (Image: NNP)

PC Jackson made what Mr Taylor described as a “pre-determined move” by manoeuvring to pull up on the driver’s side of Bainbridge’s car. “I do think he’s coming in to block off an escape route”, he added.

The court heard the police car had initially increased its speed from 14 to 17mph before breaking down to 12mph. The car then slowed suddenly to 6mph when the car mounted the curb and hit Bainbridge before colliding with a wall.

In the collision report Mr Taylor said: “Mr Bainbridge has gone under the front balance of the vehicle and has been pushed forwards. It has come back down crushing Mr Bainbridge under the balance.

Barrister for the family Mr Barton KC clarified: “When the suspension comes down it’s the full weight of the front of the car?”. Mr Taylor responded “yes”.

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Bainbridge had been on the way home from a hospital scan finding out his unborn baby’s gender.

Mr Taylor gave evidence that there was “nothing that would have contributed to the collision” about the condition of either Bainbridge’s 55-plate Nissan Primera or the police car PC Jackson was driving, which had recently been fitted with new brakes.

The inquest at Crook Crown Court continues.