
Melksham horse rider's death inquest referred to CPS by coroner
Coroner refers horse rider death case to CPS
Jayne Hunt died after falling off her horse, Moomin, in July 2023
An inquest into the death of a woman who fell off her horse after it became spooked has been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Jayne Hunt, 55, from Melksham, Wiltshire, was riding her horse Moomin down Bollards Hill near Seend on 9 July 2023. Police said she was apparently startled by a motorcycle near a blind bend.
David Ridley, HM Senior Coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon, made the decision to refer the case to the CPS over inconsistencies in evidence.
A two-day inquest at the coroner's court was due to begin on Wednesday.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Parents killed in 'hit-and-run' had been shopping in post-Christmas sales when car ploughed into them as they crossed the road, inquest hears
Two parents who reportedly pushed their teenage daughter to safety as a car ploughed into them on Boxing Day had spent their day shopping in the post-Christmas sales, an inquest has heard. Anthony Hogg, 40, and his wife Georgina Hogg-Moore, 39, died after the horror collision near Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, Dublin, on December 26, 2024. A grey Audi A7 struck the pair while they were crossing Blanchardstown Road North, leaving Mrs Hogg-Moore dead at the scene and Mr Hogg so severely injured that he later died in Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. The couple left behind two children, one of whom was with them at the time and only suffered minor injuries. At an inquest today, Dublin District Coroner's Court heard the sisters of both Mr Hogg and Mrs Hogg-Moore testify to identifying their siblings' bodies at the scene and at hospital. Coroner Clare Keane said the postmortem results indicated that the couple both died as a result of traumatic injuries due to a collision. Detective Inspector Jim McDermott applied for the inquests to be adjourned under Section 25 (2) of the Coroners Act as charges have been made in relation to the deaths. This was granted and the inquests were adjourned to a future date which will be confirmed after the conclusion of relevant criminal proceedings. John Halpin, 45, of Whitestown Avenue, Blanchardstown, was charged with two counts of dangerous driving at Dublin District Court on December 30, 2024. Mr Halpin, who was a neighbour of the parents, was also accused of two counts of hit-and-run and failing to offer assistance at the scene of the incident. Garda Alan Murphy, who arrested Mr Halpin on the evening of the incident, previously noted that he did not reply when charged. The 45-year-old was granted bail at Cloverhill District Court earlier this year through his own bond of 200 euros (roughly £168) with a cash lodgement of 2000 euros (roughly £1682). He was ordered to attend his garda station two times every week, and to ensure he did not apply for any new travel documentation after handing over his passport. Mr Halpin was also warned not to contact the deceased's family on social media or in person. According to the Irish Sun, Gardaí believe the daughter of the tragic parents may have been pushed to safety after her bruising suggested she was only hit by a wing mirror. Pictures of a vigil being held at the spot where the tragedy occurred emerged the following night, which included the release of blue and white balloons. At that time, Mrs Hogg-Moore's sister, Katie Moore, paid tribute on social media saying the family were 'absolutely broken-hearted'. The couple's niece, Kirstie Moore, also described the pair as having 'the most genuine hearts and souls'. She added that their family had 'no words to describe' how they were feeling.


Telegraph
34 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Police officer killed by train ‘seconds after being ordered to stay off tracks'
A police sergeant was struck by a train seconds after being told to stay off the tracks, an inquest has heard. Two trains, which could have been travelling up to 120mph, were coming from both directions before Sgt Graham Saville, 46, was fatally injured on the line in Balderton, near Newark, Notts, on Aug 24 2023. Sgt Saville, who was based in Newark, was responding to a concerns about a man, referred to in court as Patient C, who had called emergency services that evening saying he had taken an overdose. Nottinghamshire Coroners Court heard that an order telling the officers to stay off the line was made by the control room 20 minutes after the first call was made about Patient C going towards the railway line. The order was made 'far too late' for officers to get off the track, the inquest heard. Coroner Laurinda Bower also told the inquest that there was no successful communication from the police control room to Network Rail asking it to stop the trains until 20 seconds before Sgt Saville was struck. Pc Liv Stockdale, who was on duty alongside Sgt Saville and Pc Ben Powell at the time of the incident, gave evidence to the inquest on Tuesday. The court heard Pc Stockdale repeatedly asked the control room to contact Network Rail for the trains to be stopped and said Patient C was 'running down' to the tracks. The coroner asked: 'Were you reassured by that communication that there was contact with Network Rail to get an urgent stop on the line?' The witness replied: 'From what I remember, yes.' The court heard there was 'very little time' between Sgt Saville arriving at the scene and him instructing Pc Powell to go over the fence, which he did, followed by Sgt Saville and Pc Stockdale. Pc Stockdale told the inquest: 'When we went down on to the trackside it was more to keep an eye on Patient C because he was running further away from where we were initially stood.' Ms Bower said: 'At 19:08 hours you put another call out over the radio saying you can see a train in both directions coming. In fairness to you this is a matter of seconds, about 15 seconds, before sadly Graham is struck.' The inquest heard that the trains travel at around 120mph and can cover 55 metres per second, which the coroner described as 'incredibly fast, blink of an eye stuff'. The inquest heard there was an instruction made over the radio at 7.08pm that 'all officers are to stay off the tracks', but this was two seconds before Sgt Saville was hit. Pc Stockdale said: 'From being down on the trackside, the signal was very intermittent. We were unsure what was actually getting passed to the control room at the time.' Sgt Saville's Taser record suggests the trigger was pressed at around the same time that Pc Stockdale said she could see the trains coming. The inquest heard that Sgt Saville's life support was withdrawn five days after he was injured. Joanne Saville, the sergeant's wife, read a pen portrait to the inquest, in which she called her husband a 'fantastic' father of two and a compassionate 'big softy' who was also 'logical, measured and calm under pressure'. She added: 'These qualities made him an excellent police officer but also a great person to have in your life. 'Graham never thought of himself as being brave or a hero. He was a policeman who just got on with what needed to be done. 'He loved this job and the challenges he faced every day. We are immensely proud of everything he's done.' The inquest continues.


The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Soldier found dead in barracks was ‘degraded' by senior officers
A British soldier found dead in his barracks after being missing for three weeks was 'degraded' by his superior officers, with one posting videos of his 'humiliations' in a WhatsApp group, an inquest has heard. A friend of Lance Corporal Bernard Mongan said 'bullying would be an understatement' as he described how the father-of-three was 'shouted, screamed and swore at', made to clean senior officers' cars in his own time and 'forced' to do extra runs in his lunch break without being given time to eat. L/Cpl Mongan's decomposing body was discovered on January 23 2020 in his bedroom at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, three weeks after he was last seen. An inquest at North Yorkshire Coroner's Court has heard his cause of death is still 'unascertained' as decomposition made it difficult for doctors to determine. On Tuesday, former corporal Stephen Timmerman, who lived in the same accommodation block as L/Cpl Mongan, told the hearing he 'wasn't treated the same way' as other soldiers in their squadron. He said: 'He was given tasks that he shouldn't have been given, and just the general way he was spoken to by higher ranks. 'His seniors, quite a few times, he would be left to do their work for them in his own time.' Mr Timmerman said he could remember three occasions when L/Cpl Mongan, 33, was given a military Land Rover to clean that was not his. He said that on a military exercise around three months before his death, L/Cpl Mongan was 'shouted and screamed at' in front of other soldiers by his own superior officers in his own department for carrying out an order from another department. Mr Timmerman, who has since retired from the Army, said: 'It was very aggressive, very abrupt, some swearing … It was very harsh language and it wasn't his fault, he was carrying out an order he was told to do.' He said that on the same exercise, L/Cpl Mongan was told to help other departments set up their radio masts but was refused help with his own and told to 'do it himself'. Mr Timmerman said L/Cpl Mongan was put on remedial physical training after failing a fitness test, but was also 'forced to go for an extra run on the same day and given no time for having lunch and breakfast'. He described L/Cpl Mongan as a 'cuddly teddy bear' who may have been a 'soft target' because he was 'a nice guy who took things easier'. He told the inquest L/Cpl Mongan had issues with two sergeants and was 'undermined' and 'come down on very harshly', saying he had been considering a service complaint. Asked if he was bullied, Mr Timmerman said: 'I would say that was an understatement.' He told the hearing: 'They spoke to Bernie as if he was inconsequential,' adding that he had been spoken to 'like a piece of shit' and 'degraded'. Asked if he was aware one officer 'had been posting videos on a WhatsApp group of humiliations of Bernie', Mr Timmerman said: 'I didn't know about that.' The inquest heard L/Cpl Mongan had been selected for a detachment with 77 Brigade, which was due to start in January 2020, but that his room at Catterick would be kept for him while he was away so he could use it for visits with his three daughters. Mr Timmerman said: 'There was a noticeable change in him, he was happy, he was ready to move away.' The hearing was told L/Cpl Mongan had separated from his wife and spent Christmas at another soldier's house. Mr Timmerman said he last saw him at the barracks on December 27, telling the inquest: 'He was very happy and couldn't wait to go for a detachment. He said: 'Have a good New Year, hopefully see you soon.'' The witness said he returned from a trip to Scotland on January 5 but was not expecting to see L/Cpl Mongan as he was due to be on detachment by then. The inquest heard he started to notice an 'unusual smell' in the block after a few days, and on January 22, followed it down L/Cpl Mongan's corridor to realise it was coming from inside his room. Mr Timmerman said the other rooms on L/Cpl Mongan's corridors were occupied but the soldiers were 'always away for work'. He said once he realised where the smell was coming from he spoke to a superior officer about getting the keys for the room, and the two of them went in with a civilian staff member the next morning to find L/Cpl Mongan's body lying face down on his bed. The inquest heard L/Cpl Mongan had tried to kill himself several times and spent time at a recovery centre run by Help For Heroes. Former Royal Marine Jules Burnard, who struck up a friendship with him when they met at the facility, said he had last seen L/Cpl Mongan on January 1 2020, and that he had been 'very positive' and looking forward to the detachment. Mr Burnard said L/Cpl Mongan had opened up to him about being bullied and how that had affected his mental health. He told the hearing: 'He was a lovable, likeable, upbeat person. There was nothing not to like about Bernie.' Captain Ben Atkin, who was Regimental Sergeant Major for L/Cpl Mongan's battalion, said he was never told that he had left the Irish Guards after being injured in a skiing accident, or that he had made several suicide attempts before arriving in the unit. Asked if that was a significant failure in communication, he said: 'It's an issue, it's a failing, the system should have worked.' Captain Atkin said the only time L/Cpl Mongan was discussed in regular welfare meetings was when he was the victim of an assault by two soldiers outside the battalion while on a night out in Catterick. He told the inquest that towards the end of L/Cpl Mongan's life, he 'stopped looking soft and started looking more built,' and said he was pleased he seemed to be overcoming his issue with fitness. Asked about L/Cpl Mongan being made to do extra runs, Captain Atkin said: 'Physical exercise is not allowed to be used in the British Army as a punishment. It's completely inappropriate and if I had seen it, I would have stopped it.' The inquest, which is scheduled to last for three weeks, continues.