A POLICE officer died after a car turned across his path as he was riding his Yamaha motorcycle home, an inquest heard yesterday.

PC Glenn Robinson, 46, who had served for 16 years with North Yorkshire Police was a member of a Skipton road policing unit after earlier postings in Harrogate and Richmond.

Coroner Geoff Fell recorded an accidental death verdict.

PC Robinson, a father-of-two, who had completed an early-shift on July 27, had been riding his bike to his home in Knox Lane, Harrogate, along the A59 Harrogate to Skipton road.

At the junction with White Wall Lane, Kettlesing, Carol Packer turned her Mercedes right, across his path, the inquest heard. Mrs Packer was advised by her counsel, Karanjit Singh, not to give evidence, a move Mr Fell accepted after telling the court he appreciated she was "subject to other proceedings elsewhere".

Mr Fell said Mrs Packer told police she had begun to turn when she "suddenly felt a bump".

Witnesses told Mr Fell that PC Robinson had overtaken two cars just before the collision at a speed estimated at between 60mph and 70mph. But he had not been riding in a dangerous manner.

Accident investigator PC David Taylor said PC Robinson would have had only 53 metres in which to react and had braked to the point of wheel-lock.

PC Taylor said forward visibility for Mrs Packer was 320 metres and PC Robinson would have been in view as she began to turn.

In a statement, PC Robinson's widow, Claire, said he had learnt to drive as a teenager in the Army and was "very careful" on the roads.