A SOUTH LONDON TEENAGER WHO BOUGHT A SECOND HAND C

A SOUTH LONDON TEENAGER WHO BOUGHT A SECOND HAND CAR WAS

KILLED WHEN HE WENT ON HIS FIRST SPIN AT AN ACCIDENT BLACKSPOT , AN

INQUEST HEARD.

STEVEN DAVID BRAVERY, 18 HAD BEEN DRIVING JUST SIX MONTHS

WHEN HE BOUGHT A TEN YEAR OLD FORD CORTINA AND DROVE IT A SHORT

DISTANCE FROM HIS HOME IN KIRKDALE, SYDENHAM .

WITNESS KEITH MILLER OF CROOKSTONE ROAD, ELTHAM, TOLD

SOUTHWARK CORONOR’S COURT HOW BRAVERY’S CAR LOST CONTROL, BOUNCE
OVER THE KERB AND INTO A WOODEN FENCE ON THE SYDENHAM HILL ROAD.

PC BRIAN BROWN, FIRST ON THE SCENE, SAID WOOD FROM THE FENCE

CRASHED THROUGH THE WINDOW AND INTO BRAVERY’S FACE.

THE YOUTH DIED

LATER IN HOSPITAL WITH FACIAL CUTS AND BRUISES, A BROKEN JAW AND

MULTIPLE INJURIES.

CORONER DR ARTHUR GORDON DAVIES SAID FIVE FACTORS LEAD TO

THE DEATH – THE INEXPERIENCE OF THE DRIVER, THE WET ROAD, THE

DANGEROUS BENDY ROAD, AND FAULTY BREAKS AND A SLOW PUNCTURE IN THE

CAR.

DR DAVIES SAID: ‘EVERYONE INVOLVED IN BUYING THE CAR DID THE

BEST THEY COULD TO MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE.

HE HAD ONLY DRIVEN A SHORT

DISTANCE.

‘

POLICE INSPECTOR DAVID GAMBRILL TOLD THE INQUEST THERE HAD

BEEN NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS ON THE WINDY SYDENHAM HILL ROAD, AND DR

DAVIES ADVISED IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE TO THE CAMBER AND GRIP OF THE

ROAD.

BRAVERY’S FATHER DAVID, A FOREMAN WHO ALSO LIVED IN

KIRKDALE, SAID HIS SON HAD BOUGHT THE CAR THROUGH A NEWSPAPER

ADVERTISMENT IN ORPINGTON AND THAT HE HAD RELINED THE BRAKES, PUT

IN A NEW EXHAUST, AND CHECKED THE MOT BEFORE PUTTING IT ON THE ROAD.

‘HE WAS ONLY ON A SHORT TRIP ROUND THE BLOCK.

HE MUST HAVE

BEEN PUTTING IN A CASSETTE OR HAVE STUBBED HIS TOE,’ HE SAID.

POLICE FORESNSIC OFFICER PC JOHN MANDERSON SAID THE CAR’S

BRAKES WERE IMBALANCED AND THAT THE CAR’S INSIDE TYRE HAD A SLOW

PUNCTURE WHICH BRAVERY MIGHT NOT HAVE DETECTED.

ENDS.

RETIRED

A RETIRED CIVIL SERVANT FROM WOOLWICH WAS KILLED WHEN HE

CROSSED THE ROAD AND WAS STRUCK BY A CAR, AN INQUEST HEARD.

SOUTHWARK CORONER DR ARTHUR GORDON DAVIES RECORDED A VERDICT

OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH ON CORNELIUS HERBERT CHILTON HAYES (72) OF SAMUEL

STREET, WOOLWICH.

ENDS

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