Go-kart death wasa tragic accident

A FATHER-of-three died of a head injury after his go-kart hit a wall, an inquest heard.

Ian Frank Watson, of Abbey Road, Staincliffe, suffered a skull fracture and died at Dewsbury and District Hospital on August 27 last year, Bradford Coroner’s Court heard yesterday.

The 36-year-old was driving down Abbey Road on the 100cc petrol-powered vehicle when he hit the gate post of a property in Common Road.

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The go-kart spun around and went backwards before crashing into a block of flats opposite.

Mr Watson was rushed to hospital by ambulance but died from his injuries.

The court heard that at the time of the accident, Mr Watson’s blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit, at 163mg per 100ml, the equivalent to having consumed six pints of lager.

PC David Gogh, of the West Yorkshire Police Major Collision Inquiry Team, said Mr Watson’s alcohol level had the potential to adversely affect his handling of the go-kart.

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In addition, the petrol vehicle could not be legally driven on the roads and was designed for racing purposes, with no clutch or gears fitted.

An inspection by the collision investigation team also found that the go-kart’s braking system was faulty and not operating 100 per cent effectively.

Acting coroner Prof Paul Marks said: “Ian drove down the road and probably applied the brakes, which had a slowing effect but couldn’t stop it completely because of air in the hydraulics system.”

Prof Marks gave a verdict of accidental death and said Mr Watson’s family could take ‘a crumb of comfort’ from the fact that the accident would have immediately rendered him unconcious and he would have felt no pain.

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After the verdict, Mr Watson’s father Frank said: “He was just the best boy in the world.”

His wife Shelley also paid tribute to him, saying he lived for his kids, his family and his ‘toys’, including the quad bikes he loved to ride.

She said: “He was a top bloke, a number one dad and he’s left a big void in our hearts. Me and my kids and everybody else miss him.”

Mr Watson’s mother Joan said she would miss most of all his insistence that whenever she and his father went on holiday, he would demand that they call him to say they had arrived safely.

She said: “He’d say ‘Love you, love you loads’. No matter where we were we always had to ring him up.”

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