Man died on M1 after 'physical altercation' on hard shoulder

The death of a man on the motorway near Dungannon, County Tyrone, in 2018 has been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Darryl Thompson, 22, from Beragh, was standing on the motorway when he was struck by a car.

He died from head and neck injuries.

An inquest into his death has found that a "physical altercation" on the hard shoulder meant he wasn't on the road "voluntarily".

While the coroner stressed that she would not express any opinion on whether offences had been committed she said her view was "that the threshold for referral to DPP has been passed".

Offences considered could be homicide including manslaughter and assault causing serious bodily harm.

Speaking after the hearing, Thompson's mother Edwina Thompson-Clarke said the wait for answers had been "terrorising".

"It's been heartbreaking," she said.

She said that every day "for eight years" she had wondered if she would hear something.

"Every day, wait and wait and wait," she said.

"I don't know what I'm going to do now. Because I feel like my fight is done. I don't know what more I can do now."

The inquest heard from a forensic scientist, police and other people who were on the motorway on 10 November 2018.

During the inquest, Thompson's mother described him as "a kind, caring boy who loved life".

Thompson-Clarke said he was "every mother's dream" and she would carry the grief of his loss for her whole life.

The digger driver attended a drift competition with friends on the night he was killed.

He was a passenger in a Seat Leon car driven by Tiarnan Sutton, with two other passengers - Kelly Keenan in the passenger seat and Dominic Daly in the back seat.

The inquest heard how Thompson and Daly argued and got into a "fist fight".

The court heard that the driver of the car pulled over and the altercation continued on the hard shoulder.

Thompson was standing on the outside of the slow lane on the motorway when he was hit by a Volkswagen Golf car travelling at 50mph.

Presenting her conclusions, coroner Louisa Fee told the court: "More likely than not the deceased did not come to be on the motorway voluntarily.

"Rather I find his presence on the motorway immediately before the collision was more likely than not as a result of a physical altercation taking place on the hard shoulder."

The evidence of people who came upon the scene was also heard, with one witness saying that the three were keen to distance themselves from the scene and "at no time approached the deceased".

The inquest heard from a police officer who attended the scene.

Sgt Mark O'Hare, who has since retired, told the inquest he felt that "something untoward had happened".

He told the court that Sutton, who was driving the car Thompson had been travelling in, gave police a false name.

Sutton, who gave evidence remotely from Australia, said he gave a false name to avoid detection for driving while disqualified.

The coroner rejected that claim, saying the behaviour of the trio was "not about a driving ban".

"Their actions in the aftermath were shocking and extraordinarily bizarre.

"After watching their friend die, it's striking that they didn't get assistance.

"Their actions were taken to avoid apprehension by police."

In a statement, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said it understood the coroner intended to make a referral over Thompson's death.

"When the coroner's referral is received it will be carefully reviewed to determine if any further investigative steps are required before a decision as to prosecution can be taken," a statement added.

"We will keep the family informed of progress in this regard."