A CORONER has demanded to know who was driving a car involved in a crash that killed a Hampshire teenager.

Sparsholt College student Bayley Bligdon died in March after the Ford Fiesta he was driving was in collision with a Subaru Impreza at Allbrook Way, near Eastleigh.

Mr Bligdon, 18, of Eastleigh, is thought to have died instantly in the crash.

Hampshire Chronicle:

As reported in the Daily Echo, a 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving while over the specified limit of a controlled drug.

An inquest into Mr Bligdon’s death was due to be heard at Winchester’s Coroner’s Court on Monday.

But area coroner Jason Pegg decided to hold a pre-inquest review hearing instead after citing gaps in the evidence compiled about the crash.

Mr Pegg said it was still unclear who was driving the Subaru.

He told Acting Police Sergeant Jonathan Peace to arrange for the airbags to be examined in a bid to obtain DNA evidence.

“Everyone wants to know what happened and one of the issues is who was driving,” said Mr Pegg.

The coroner also raised concerns about a report presented by accident investigator Tony Reading, saying it placed too much emphasis on statements made by witnesses.

He said: “Some of the conclusions are based on evidence that is not as reliable as it could be.

“It’s essential I have evidence I can properly rely on. I need to know how Bayley came by his death. That’s my public duty.”

Mr Pegg asked Mr Reading to review his report, saying he should focus on physical evidence from the crash scene and “almost ignore” some of the statements made by witnesses.

He added: “There is no real consistency in what they have said.”

Hampshire Chronicle:

Friends who paid tribute to Mr Bligdon after his death included Lauren Brown, who said: “Bayley was a kind, loving young man. He had a big heart which he gave to anyone around him. He was just so chatty and cheerful.”

The inquest into Mr Bligdon’s death will now be held on January 4.

The Chronicle's sister paper the Daily Echo contacted Hampshire Constabulary but it was unable to provide a comment before the paper went to press.