Open verdict for bus driver death (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Open verdict for bus driver death

11:40am Monday 23rd November 2009

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A CHARITY bus driver died when his body hit a freight train near Winchester, an inquest has heard.

Peter Kerslake, of Colden Common, suffered multiple injuries in the incident at Shawford railway station in March.

Winchester Coroner's Court heard last Tuesday (November 17) that the 58-year-old had a long history of depression and had tried to kill himself on "a number of occasions".

In a statement read to the court, Miles Roberts, of Twyford Surgery, said Mr Kerslake believed his low moods was God punishing him for locking children in a cupboard when he was eight.

But Dr Roberts said much of his patient's anxiety stemmed from his job as a driver for Winchester Area Community Action's Dial-a-Ride service.

He said: "Unfortunately he did not get on with his boss who he said used to pick on him."

In a statement read on his behalf, Stuart Banks, of Winchester Area Community Action, told the inquest Mr Kerslake, who lived alone, had been the subject of a series of disciplinary actions.

He said there were instances of Mr Kerslake changing pick-up times and dropping off customers in the middle of the road.

Mr Kerslake, of Orchard Close, who had been with the charity for 17 years, was suspended from his job last October, only returning on a part-time basis weeks before his death.

Mr Banks added: "He was letting us down regularly and some of the customers were less than satisfied about the service."

"He did have some problems at work," said his sister Angela Spate, of Northampton. "There was a problem with one person at work."

Speaking of his death, she added: "It was an awful shock because he gave us no impression that there were real problems. He had a good family life and social life."

Peter Gasser, a train enthusiast from Lee-on-Solent, was at Shawford station around 10.30am on Friday, March 20, when the incident happened.

Giving evidence Mr Gasser said he had tried speaking to Mr Kerslake about the weather but had only received a grunt in reply.

Mr Gasser had photographed the freight service - on its way to Southampton from Didcot - and was about to leave when he saw Mr Kerslake's body fall down the side of the train.

Summing up the evidence, Grahame Short, coroner for central Hampshire, said: "He had been suffering from depression for a number of years and has attempted suicide on a number of occasions.

"We have heard a lot of Peter's anxiety seemed to centre around his job and the pressure he felt while working for the Dial-a-Ride bus."

Mr Short added that despite this no suicide note had been found and no-one had witnessed him jumping in front of the train.

An eight-person inquest jury took around 40 minutes to return an open verdict.

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