Three schoolboy occupants of stolen car were 'dancing, waving and laughing' just before fatal crash, an inquest hears

A stolen Fiat 500 being driven by a 14-year-old Wigan schoolboy "flew up into the air" before landing on top of another car at the climax of a dramatic police chase.
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An inquest into the death of Platt Bridge teenager Leo Gradwell concluded at Bolton Town Hall today (Wednesday) with the coroner, Timothy Brennand, summing up the evidence heard by the jury since the hearing started last week.

The light blue Fiat being driven by Leo - with two other boys inside - crashed into two vehicles before flipping on its side in Ashton Road, Golborne, on October 11, 2019.

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Leo was pronounced dead despite desperate attempts to save him, both at the roadside and at the major trauma units at Wigan Infirmary and later Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. The two other boys who were with him in the car were injured but survived.

Leo GradwellLeo Gradwell
Leo Gradwell

Mr Brennand said the Fiat 500 was stolen the day before in what the coroner described as "terrifying circumstances." An older man had approached the female owner, with his hood up and armed with an axe, and she had handed over the keys without any resistance.

The next day, eyewitnesses reported the stolen car being driven at speed, with three children aged around 14 to 15 inside. They were described by one car driver as "dancing, waving and laughing" as the Fiat 500, without any number plates, was being driven dangerously in a built-up area.

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The witness added: "The car was flying as it turned right. It was on two wheels and I was praying it would run out of petrol. The driving was erratic and out of control.

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"The driver could not drive and could barely see over the steering wheel. I've been driving for 30 years and I've seen some idiot drivers, but these weren't idiots, they were kids."

A pedestrian who witnessed the police pursuit said: "The Fiat was intentionally not stopping for the police who were chasing it. It seemed to be speeding up. Then it flew up into the air and landed on top of an oncoming car, landing on its side."

In his evidence, temporary sergeant Andrew Brown said he had a chance encounter with the Fiat, and engaged in a "self-authorised, spontaneous pursuit."

He didn't get a view of who was inside, but said had he known the occupants were children, he would not with the benefit of hindsight have pursued the vehicle. However, he denied "putting pressure" on the driver by driving too closely behind the speeding car.

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On Ashton Road, the Fiat hit two cars – a Kia Sportage and a Renault Clio – before rolling on its side. All three boys were extracted from the vehicle and given first-aid at the roadside, with one being heard to say "sorry, sorry." An off-duty nurse, Susan Lane, who happened to be passing and gave immediate assistance to all three boys, told the jury that at the time "she didn't think Leo was going to make it."

After less than three hours’ deliberation, the jury of seven men and three women returned a narrative conclusion, which read: “Leo Ryan Gradwell died as the consequence of an un-survivable head injury caused by a road traffic collision, thereafter, suffering cardiac arrest, leading to a decision to withdraw life support.”

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