Coroner rules Warminster teacher was unlawfully killed

Anna Kirsopp-Lewis, 34, of Woodcock Road, was killed by Bath publican Ian Barton who earlier had been filmed on dash cams driving at estimated speeds of up to 134mph.

Returning a verdict of unlawful killing, David Ridley, senior coroner for Wiltshire & Swindon, said: “Mr Barton showed indifference to other road users with his “sustained, aggressive and audacious’ driving, which resulted in his losing control of his vehicle while driving at excessive speed in appalling wet weather conditions.”

He had earlier recorded a verdict of accidental death on Mr Barton.

Mrs Kirsopp-Lewis suffered massive internal injuries and was flung headlong through the car windscreen onto the road as her seat belt broke in three places because of the force of the impact.

Police and paramedics who arrived at the horrific accident scene last December were unable to save her or her unborn son.

Caroline Kirsopp with pictures of her daughter Anna Kirsopp-Lewis

The inquest in Salisbury was told Mr Barton, 62, for 27 years landlord of The Wheatsheaf in Combe Hay near Bath, had driven at recklessly dangerous speeds along the A36.

His 4.8-litre Porsche Cayenne SUV smashed into the back of the Frome College media studies teacher’s Peugeot 2008 SUV as she was travelling to her last midwifery appointment in Frome.

Mrs Kirsopp-Lewis suffered multiple injuries in the crash and was killed instantly along with her 38-week-old unborn child, a boy she had already named Oscar.

Witnesses said the weather conditions were appalling. It was drizzling rain and the road was wet and visibility was poor.

Expert witness, Dean Beaumont, from the Traffic Research Laboratory in Wokingham, looked at dash cam footage supplied by drivers of several vehicles.

He estimated Mr Barton was travelling at speeds of up to 134mph before the crash, crossing double white lines and weaving in and out of traffic to overtake.

Mr Beaumont said he was “sure” that Mr Barton was travelling at more than 100mph when he hit Mrs Kirsopp-Lewis’s vehicle.

He told the inquest Mr Barton might have lost some control of his vehicle by aquaplaning in the wet road conditions.

Van driver Paul Cloke, who works for Flogas, entered the A36 from a layby at the bottom of Black Dog Hill and was immediately behind Mrs Kirsopp-Lewis’ car when the crash happened.

He told the inquest he had seen Mr Barton overtake him in the face of oncoming HGV drivers before trying to squeeze back into the left hand lane.

“It was just a black blur by the side of me. I don’t recall seeing any brake lights. I saw it fish tailing and then I saw the debris.

“I am just baffled that that any time, on that road, that somebody could drive like that. There is no excuse for it,” he said.

David Woods, who was driving a Fiat Panda from Amesbury to Bath, was earlier almost forced off the road to avoid a collision as Mr Barton sped between vehicles on the wrong side of the road while overtaking.

He told the inquest that Mr Barton’s black 4x4 flashed past him at a “tremendous speed” forcing him to pull hard to his left to avoid being hit.

“I can’t put on estimate on his speed but he went by like a rocket,” he said.

Harry Barnes, who was driving a red Jaguar, was immediately behind Mr Cooke’s van. He told the inquest that he was overtaken by a large black car going so fast he couldn’t determine the make or model.

“It was travelling too fast. It overtook the van and then started to fishtail and then I saw debris and the driver was struggling to stay on the road.”

Alistair Wood, who was driving a grey BMW towards Warminster, said he saw a set of headlights coming towards him from the opposite direction.

“I pulled over to my left and the other driver pulled over to his left. We only just avoided hitting each other.”

Zachary Tullett, who was driving an Audi, said he saw Mr Barton’s vehicle crossing solid double white lines to overtake other vehicles at high speed.

Then he saw the vehicles in front brake and slow down and realised there had been a collision.

John Graham was also overtaken by Mr Barton, who crossed the double white lines as he sped down Black Dog Hill.

“He was doing more than 100mph and overtook the HGV in front of me. I just could not believe it. It shook me up. It was a terrible piece of driving,” he said.

Mr Barton slammed into the rear of Mrs Kirsopp-Lewis’s car at a speed estimated to be more than 100mph.

Mr Barton’s vehicle was seen to tumble for a further 143 metres at speeds estimated to be more than 84mph before hitting part of a tree and a fence and ending up in a field.

He was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol with serious injuries and died in its intensive care unit on December 23.

His widow, Adele Barton, said her husband was a “highly competent”driver and a popular and well- known character in Combe Hay. More than 500 people attended his funeral.

Mr Barton had travelled to Warminster to pay J&G Vehicle Repairs for work on his car and was making his way to Mole Valley Farmers at Frome before the accident occurred.