Husband says inquest should have found who was driving car that killed his wife
An inquest jury heard how Alison Clark died when her car was hit by a stolen BMW going the wrong way down a dual carriageway near Hull, killing four.
The husband of a devoted mother who died when a stolen BMW travelling the wrong way down a dual carriageway ploughed into her car has said he believes an inquest should have identified the driver of that vehicle.
Three young men who were in the BMW also died when the car collided head-on with a Peugeot being driven by mother-of-one Alison Clark, 42, on the A63 near Hull on November 22 2021.
Following the conclusion of an inquest into the four deaths, Mrs Clark’s husband Rob said he believed the jury should have been asked to identify which of the three men – Sam Connors, 19, William Harty, 20, and Lawrence James, 21 – had been driving at the time of the crash.
Mr Clark said he also wanted the police watchdog to reopen its investigation into the crash, which happened after a police pursuit of the BMW which ended when the stolen car drove up a slip road taking it on to the wrong side of the A63, near North Ferriby.
On Wednesday, Mr Clark said: “While we are satisfied with today’s verdict, we are deeply disheartened that the driver of the stolen vehicle responsible for her death remains unidentified when we believe this fact could have been uncovered.
“Whatever the conclusion of the inquest there was ultimately no positive outcome for us but without establishing this primary fact, it is extremely hard to feel a full sense of justice.”
He said: “Words don’t seem to be enough to describe the pain and turmoil Alison’s passing has caused.
“Her death cannot be undone, and her daughter, who was only nine when her mother passed away, will never have the opportunity to hug her mum again.”
Mr Clark said: “We believe errors occurred from the day of the theft of the BMW to the crash, and then in the investigation.
“These mistakes tragically put Alison and other people in harm’s way and left the coroner without the necessary evidence.
“We would like the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) to reopen its investigation to examine these new findings because their previous conclusion, that no learning can be made from this incident, no longer seems viable.”
He said: “The actions of the driver of the stolen car are unjustifiable.
“He recklessly drove the wrong way down a dual carriageway for a significant distance, endangering the lives of others.
“He ultimately traumatised many people, robbed several people of their lives and children of their parents, ripped families apart, and also ended his own life in a truly evil, shameful and cowardly act.
“As a result, he is entirely responsible, in my opinion, for all of the deaths, including those of his friends who were also in the car.”
Mr Clark said: “Alison was an intelligent kind, and loving woman who was full of life and looking forward to the future.
“She was dearly loved by so many, as demonstrated by the numerous acts of remembrance which have since been made in her honour. Her passing has left an immeasurable void in the lives of so many.”
Mr Clark’s solicitor Ken Brough, from Hodge Jones & Allen, said they have faced resistance, including from Humberside Police, in their efforts to establish the driver’s identity.
He said: “At the heart of this will be achieving justice, through the civil court if necessary, for Rob and Emily.”
During the inquest, Assistant Coroner Ian Sprakes described how the BMW went 1.3 miles towards Hull on the wrong side of the road before colliding with Mrs Clark’s Peugeot near a BP service station.
Mrs Clark, from Elloughton, East Yorkshire, was a keen triathlete and was returning home from a swim training session in Hull.
The coroner said the BMW had been stolen in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, and Connors, Harty and James, all from Leeds, were believed to have been involved in the theft of catalytic converters.
The jury heard how police attempted to follow and stop the vehicle which came into contact with a patrol car that was trying to prevent it from leaving a dead-end outside Melton police station.
The police abandoned the authorised pursuit when the BMW went the wrong way around a roundabout and up the slip road towards the westbound carriageway of the A63 and headed east towards Hull.
The jury heard how Mrs Clark had set up a bereavement walking club in the wake of her father’s death and had taken part in a walking event on the day she was killed.
The jury at Hull Coroner’s Court returned a conclusion of unlawful killing in relation to Mrs Clark and of misadventure in relation to the three young men in the BMW, solicitors said.
