Coroner to call killer driver to Billy Forrest inquest

Jul 10 2009 by Neil McKay, The Journal

A CORONER is to “reluctantly” call killer driver Barry Taylor to give evidence at an inquest into the death of a motorist who he hit with his stolen pick-up truck.

Andrew Tweddle, presiding at the inquest into the death of Newcastle man Billy Forrest, 52, had earlier said he did not want to call Taylor to give evidence, partly because he understood it would upset Mr Forrest’s family.

But yesterday, following representations by Damian Kelly, a solicitor acting for the Police Federation, the coroner said he had “reluctantly” agreed to call Taylor on Monday from his cell at Holme House Prison, Stockton-on-Tees.

He is serving a 10 year sentence for causing Mr Forrest’s death by dangerous driving and burglary.

The inquest at Chester-le-Street, County Durham, had earlier heard from a number of police officers involved in a high-speed chase with Taylor along the A1 motorway.

The chase ended in tragedy when the stolen Mitsubishi crossed the central reservation of the motorway into a Peugeot driven by Mr Forrest, of Ashford Grove, North Walbottle, Newcastle.

He was killed instantly in the crash, which happened in the early hours of July 18 last year yards north of the Bowburn turn off.

Former traffic officer Kevin Hardman told the inquest jury he believed Taylor had deliberately intended to ram a colleague’s car seconds before the crash.

“Mr Taylor, in my opinion, made a deliberate attempt to take PC Gatland off the road.