A MUCH loved dad and granddad died tragically when he was hit by a BMW crossing the A66 after a night out with friends.

That was the conclusion of coroner Kirsty Gomersal yesterday at an online Cockermouth court hearing on the death of James Greenwood, known as Jimmy.

Ms Gomersal recorded the cause of his death as a road traffic collision - he sustained multiple injuries which were described as “unsurvivable”.

She was speaking on the third anniversary of his death on April 7, 2018.

The 61-year-old divorcee, from Market Drayton, Shropshire, was returning to his campsite, at Braithwaite, near Keswick.

He and friends had been for a meal at the Ivy House Restaurant and then the Royal Oak pub in the village. 

A statement by Michelle Wilkinson, one of the group of motorcycle enthusiasts, was read out.

She said that stretch of the road was unlit so the group were making their way back to the campsite by moonlight when she heard something that sounded like a “dull thud” - soon after they found Mr Greenwood on the hard shoulder. 

 He was hit at about 12.30am by Matthew Paul Leggett, of Sonnets Way, Cockermouth, in his BMW 1 series car, he was driving to Keswick at the time.

Mr Greenwood was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.05am.

Police estimate that the saloon car was travelling between 50mph and 60mph at the time of the incident - the speed limit on that stretch of road is 60mph.

Leggitt, who was travelling with Finlay Lewis Davidson, failed to stop at the scene.

He faced no charges in relation to the accident itself, but was later jailed for 16 months and given a four year driving ban for post-collision dangerous driving, failing to stop and failing to report an accident.

Davidson, of Mabel Wood, Great Clifton, admitted doing acts tending and intended to pervert the course of justice, and was also jailed.

 Part of Leggett’s statement to police was read out where he said he slowed down after noticing two or three people on the left side of the road.

“All of a sudden there was a big bang on the windscreen,” he recalled. “I was aware something had hit my car, the windscreen was smashed, I don’t know why I did not stop”.
The police report on the incident indicated that Leggett had swerved.

To the family, Ms Gomersal said: “I offer my sincere and heartfelt condolences.”