A coroner has ruled a woman who died in a car crash alongside her boyfriend during a volatile argument while he was under the influence of drugs was unlawfully killed.

An inquest heard Ryan Turner, 27, had been violent and abusive to 31-year-old Lyndsey Watkins before the BMW they were in crashed on the A688 bypass near Durham.

The couple, who had been in a relationship for about two years, had been on a day trip to Blackpool in the car with another couple who got out at the services because of Mr Turner’s aggression, Crook Coroners’ Court heard.

Read more: Drunken Ferryhill man took to wheel of estranged partner's car

The Northern Echo: Lyndsey Watkins Lyndsey Watkins (Image: Contributor)

Sergeant Catherine Iley said Ms Watkins, from Horden, had made four silent 999 calls to police minutes before the fatal crash and CCTV footage showed her trying to get out of the car before it sped away from the services.

Referring to the emergency calls, Sgt Iley said: “There was no noise at all.

“From speaking to family members we have been informed that Ms Watkins was in the habit of muting her phone when anything was going on with Mr Turner, seemingly not understanding that that would mute her side of the call as opposed to the other side.”

The inquest heard there were no defects with the car, which had passed an MOT and that the single carriageway road was straight and well lit.

Collision investigator PC Madeleine Davies-Luke said it was not possible to tell how fast the car was travelling but it was likely the speed was excessive and it appeared there had been a hard right-hand turn before it left the road.

Read more: County Durham man attacked partner in quest for more drugs

Emergency services were called to a field off the A688 heading towards the A181 at around 1.30am on Sunday, September 5, 2021, but the couple, who were not wearing seatbelts, were both pronounced dead at the scene.

Home Office pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton, who carried out the post-mortem examinations, said Ms Watkins died from head and chest injuries.

She said Mr Turner died from a blunt force head injury.

The Northern Echo: Ryan Turner Ryan Turner (Image: Contributor)

Toxicology results showed Mr Turner, from Ludworth, was under the influence of cannabis and temazepam at the time of the crash.

Text messages from Ms Watkins to a friend said Mr Watkins had taken a lot of tablets and was ‘off his head’ on ‘wobs’, a nickname for temazepam, sleeping pills which are known on the street as ‘wobbly eggs’.

It is understood he was angered because an ex-partner of Ms Watkins had ‘liked’ a video that had been posted on Facebook.

The inquest heard Ms Watkins had called police just 11 days earlier after she had tried to end their relationship and Mr Turner was at her house collecting his belongings.

A text message sent by her from the car shortly before the fateful crash said: “He has never been this awful.”

Senior Assistant Coroner for County Durham and Darlington Crispin Oliver said his driving would have been affected by the drugs he had taken.

He said: “They would have impaired his judgement and reduced his inhibitions and reaction times at the time of this incident.

“He was the driver of the vehicle. All of the evidence makes this clear.

“He was driving knowing he was not in a fit state at the time.”

The inquest heard Mr Turner did not have a valid driving licence, insurance or the owner’s permission to take the car to Blackpool.

Mr Oliver said: “The evidence of the immediate witnesses state that Mr Turner was being aggressive and violent and was under the influence of drugs.”

Mr Turner and Ms Watkins had been rear seat passengers but got into the front at Bowburn services when their friends decided to make their own way home.

Mr Oliver said: “Ms Watkins became a front seat passenger however she attempted to exit the vehicle shortly afterwards and was physically restrained from doing so by Mr Turner who clearly exerted control over her.”

The inquest heard Mr Turner drove off but returned to the services in a failed attempt to persuade the other couple to get back in the car.

It is around this time, it is believed, Ms Watkins was making silent 999 calls to get help and it is thought the last call ended at around the time of the crash.

Mr Oliver said: “The fact that this happened is clearly indicative of a domestic situation being imposed upon her and implies she was in fear and was subject to control.

“The vehicle was inexplicably steered hard to the right, no braking was applied and left the road while turning anti-clockwise.”

The investigation found there was no evidence of a third party, such as another vehicle, pedestrian or animal which could have caused the collision.

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Mr Oliver said causal factors of the fatal injuries were thought to be excessive speed, driver intoxication, the episode of domestic abuse, the unexpected right turn, failure to apply brakes and the failure to wear seatbelts.

He said: “This itself is mainly significant in the context of Ms Watkins not wearing a seatbelt, having previously attempted to exit the vehicle and probably being, to some extent, under control when in the vehicle.”

The coroner ruled that Mr Turner died as a result of a car crash, but said, because of the circumstances, a different verdict was necessary regarding the death of Ms Watkins.

He said Mr Turner had owed her a duty of care, breached that duty and the risk of death was genuine and foreseeable, concluding his conduct had been ‘grossly negligent’ and, had he survived, would constitute gross negligence manslaughter.

In the case of Ms Watkins, Mr Oliver recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

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Family members of both Mr Turner and Ms Watkins were present at the hearing on Wednesday.

Mr Oliver said: “I am sorry both families have had to go through all of this.

“It must have been hideous for all of you. I do hope you get on with your lives now and to some extent move on from this.”