Bilborough man dies in drink-driving accident

A MAN from Bilborough had been on a nine-hour drinking session before he drove and lost control of his car, an inquest heard.

Craig Exton, 33, of Graylands Road, died on June 22 after a crash which threw him from his Peugeot 306 convertible in Plumtree Road, Cotgrave.

He had only owned the car for two days, was not wearing a seatbelt and was almost three times the legal limit for driving.

The inquest at Nottingham Coroner's Court on Friday heard that Exton had been drinking with his girlfriend Karen Harrison and other friends since around 12.30pm to 1pm.

They had met at the Nottingham Knight pub in Ruddington before moving to other pubs.

Mr Exton's friend and employer, Richard Allsop, had been driving the group and dropped them back off at the Nottingham Knight before the accident, which was at 10.25pm.

He then planned to drive alone to Cotgrave to meet some other friends, but Mr Exton insisted on following him in his own car.

Speaking at the inquest, Ms Harrison, from Lenton Abbey, said: "I remember being in the Nottingham Knight car park and Craig shouting at me to get in the car."

Ms Harrison said she had called for a taxi but Mr Exton had cancelled it.

She said she got into the front passenger seat and put on her seatbelt, while Mr Exton got into the driver's seat without putting his seatbelt on, and friend Richard Martin got into the back.

Ms Harrison broke down in court and said: "Craig was driving like a mad man. I was screaming at him to slow down. He just kept laughing.

"He was swerving it from side to side, just to frighten me. He thought it was funny.

"Then all I felt was the car lift and I just flung my arms and legs out."

The car rolled over several times and came to rest upside down with Ms Harrison still inside.

Mr Exton and Mr Martin were thrown from the car, and Mr Exton landed 13 metres from the vehicle.

The inquest heard he had 224mg of alcohol in 100 millitres of blood. The drink-drive limit is 80mg.

Mr Martin, who was also not wearing seatbelt, suffered a blood clot on his brain.

Assistant deputy coroner for Notts Mr Martin Gotheridge said: "This is a very sad case that involves a young man who was totally oblivious to the dangers of drinking and driving.

"It is a salutary lesson in what happens if someone drinks extensively then gets into a car and does not even put a seatbelt on."

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.

samantha.hughes@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk