Cause of fatal bike crash a mystery


AN experienced motorcyclist died the day he took delivery of a new bike, a Maidstone in- quest heard. Plumber Kyran Bingham (44),


of Shepway, was thrown from his motorbike, landing on the verge at the side of the slip road at Junction 6 of the coastal- bound M20 on April 26 this year. The accident happened shortly after 7pm, when it was still daylight and the weather was good. Mr Bingham’s wife, Teresa,


told Maidstone and Mid-Kent Coroner Patricia Harding that her husband had possessed nu- merous motorbikes in his life andwas an experienced motor- cyclist. He had sold his last bike in


2011 and, on the day he died, she had driven him to Thorn- ton Heath, London, to collect his latest acquisition – a Suzuki GSXR 600. He was driving the bike back to their home in Plains Avenue when the acci- dent occurred. PC Terence Collins told the inquest that there was no evi- dence to suggest there was any fault with the bike or of any other vehicle being involved in the accident.


Damage to the bike was ex- tensive but consistent with it having collided with the crash barrier, he said. A statement from eyewitness


Ben Gates said he saw the mo- torcyclist somersault from the bike when its front wheel hit an upright post. He saw his crash helmet come off and the victim thrown to the ground, landing on the gravel verge at the side of the slip road. A post mortem examination


found that Mr Bingham died from multiple injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene when paramedics arrived. Police said the crash helmet


was discovered some eight me- tres away. Although there were no environmental factors asso- ciated with the accident, they said they could not exclude a “transient hazard” such as an animal running across the path of the bike. The coroner recorded a ver-


dict that Mr Bingham died from multiple injuries as a result of a road traffic accident, when he lost control of themotorbike he was riding. She expressed her condo- lences to the family, including his wife, father and two sons.


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Cash for community projects


MORE than £8,000 is once again available for community projects in Maidstone’s High Streetward. The money from the £80million government- funded Community First ini- tiative will go towards projects that are most im- portant to residents and businesses in the area. Earlier this year more


than 600 people voted for their favourite projects, which were shortlisted by Maidstone Council representatives, residents andbusinesses intheHigh Street ward. Funding was awarded to The Maidstone Nepalese Project (£1,000) and Maidstone Baptist Church’s summer youth project (£2,500), which received the most votes, £1,500 went to Stepping Stones’work on the Gala Bingo mural,£2,000 toMaidstone Sea Cadets and £2,500 to the YMCA’s flash family fitness scheme.Members of the winning groups are pictured with their cheques. The deadline for applications is December 20. Voting for shortlisted projects will start in February 2014 at theMaid-


stone Gateway. For an application form, email Julia Fraser, Community Development Officer, at JuliaFraser@maidstone.gov.uk.


Man’s jaw broken in street attack


POLICE are seeking witnesses to an assault in Maidstone which left a man suffering a suspected broken jaw. The 25 year-old victim was


struck in the face by a heavy ob- ject after two men, believed to be known to him, had called out to him as he made his way along Sutton Road. The attack happened close to the junction with Northumberland Road, be- tween June 10 and 15, but has only recently been reported to


the police. The victim believes he was knocked unconscious for at least 15 minutes and it is believed he also suffered a frac- tured eye socket. Police are keen to speak to a


member of the public who pro- vided assistance and told the victim he saw him being at- tacked and kicked. Detective Constable Wes Marston said: “This appears to have been an unprovoked at- tack.”


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