A STOLEN 4x4 would not have crossed the central reservation of a motorway, killing a father-of-two coming in the opposite direction, had it not collided with a police patrol car, an inquest heard yesterday.

The Mitsubishi L200, driven by Barry Taylor, was being pursued by five patrol cars when it flipped over the reservation of the A1(M) in County Durham and crashed into a car driven by Billy Forrest.

Giving evidence at an inquest into the death of Mr Forrest, accident investigator PC Andrew Edgar said the Mitsubishi had been travelling at more than 80mph when the tragedy happened north of the Bowburn interchange.

Mr Forrest, of Walbottle, Newcastle, was on his way to work at Sense Creativity, in Yarm Road, Darlington.

Moments before the crash, helicopter video footage showed PC Richard Gatland accelerate on the hard shoulder to prevent the Mitsubishi from leaving the motorway, before manoeuvring to the outside lane in front of it.

PC Edgar said: “He (Taylor) has swerved to the right then collided with PC Gatland which has then caused him (Taylor) to rotate and go towards the barrier.”

He added: “The Mitsubishi would have continued and would not have crossed the barrier if it had not collided with PC Gatland’s vehicle.”

PC Edgar added that officers had been dealing with an inexperienced driver who was over the drink-drive limit and had not passed his test.

The hearing was told Taylor, 23, had stolen the Mitsubishi after he took its keys during a burglary in Chesterle- Street. Officers saw him near Newton Aycliffe at about 5.20am on July 18 last year and an 11-mile pursuit ensued.

Taylor was sentenced at Durham Crown Court to ten years in jail after he admitted burglary and causing death by dangerous driving.

The hearing was told the barrier had been designed to contain a 1.5 tonne vehicle travelling at 70mph and striking it at a 20 degree angle.

The Mitsubishi weighed two tonnes, was travelling at 80mph and hit the barrier at an angle of 45 degrees.

Taylor will be called to give evidence on Monday.